A Sea Shanty

This is an impressionistic rewriting of the subtitle translation of Binks’ Sake from One Piece. I hope to have rendered it more agreeable to English singers while keeping the original tune. I do this strictly as a fan of One Piece and of the tune in hopes of spreading a catchy shanty.

Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho

Taking whiskey to a man,
Who told us not to come by land
By the sea it has to be is what this man required
Now we sail the salty depths
As the sun falls in the west
Painting circles in the sky the seabirds sing along

Bade farewell to my old home
When I return I’m sure I’ll’ve grown
But cheer for me as I set sail and pray we’ll meet again!
Waves will fall and waves will rise
Like cheerful hearts and worried sighs
As we sail our cargo to the far ends of the sea!

Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho

Taking whiskey to a man,
Who died before we reached the land
A pirate crew is who we are with him we sailed the seas!
His grave is in the silver sprays
We’ll pour a drink in memory
Raising up our pale skull to wave as we pass by!

Now there comes a mighty storm
Blacking out the silver morn
Could it be our fallen friend now dances in the waves?
Though the sun is blotted out
Keep your nerve and give a shout
Hold on fast and greet the wind the sun again will rise!

Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho

Taking whiskey to a man,
Far we’ve come from any land
Dreaming as the days go by and vanish into night
Waving with a tearful eye
We will never meet again
Dry your tears for in the night the stars will surely shine!

Taking whiskey to a man,
Who told us not to come by land
Give a cheer to greet the waves and welcome what’s ahead
Who you are is no concern
Time will take his toll in turn
The road goes on, and ever on and wares us down to bones!

Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho
Yohohoho,yohohoho

Book Blurbs (Eloquence by Mark Forsyth)

The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase, as disclaimed by Forsyth, “is not a dictionary of rhetoric, nor was it meant to be” (234). Instead it aims to explain and clarify a number of rhetorical figures at work in the English language, “a clarity and knowledge that has been abandoned for a couple of centuries now” (231).

The book is made of a preface; 39 chapters that discuss different rhetorical figures; a peroration; and an epilogue concerning terminology. It reminds readers that eloquence is a quiet undercurrent of language, and that these patterns of use are only part of writing well.

As Forsyth writes, “For though we have nothing to say, we can at least say it well” (232).

 

 

Forsyth, Mark. The Elements of Eloquence. Berkley Publishing Group: New York. 2013