It was late in the winter

When the weather was bitter

With the storm rolling in

Bringing death and disaster

The silence of night

Like gun fire was shattered

No shelter was left

For the poor and the wretched

Drums rolled and crashed

And the angels were singing

On the cliffs as I watched

The distant sail sinking

Master and slave to their death

Were sent flying

Under the waves luminous corpses would grin

Like the sharks who were waiting

No prayers were answered

No preference of class no deals could he done

Grown men would cry

Like a child for its mother

The violence of nature

Could not be appeased

Throw down a line

Shine me a light

I'm your prodigal son

And what I've seen ain't right

Throw the first stone

Show me a sign

I'm your prodigal son

Tell me what has been done

The night that we sailed

There were crowds on the quay side

Full of fear & excitement

Of an unknown tomorrow

The old world left behind us

We sailed to the horizon

The voyage was uneventful we had sailed there before

Until the night one mile from the headland

In a moment of truth

A pathetic twist of fortune

I'd heard a voice in my head I'd ignored it

Was it a warning & how would I know

All the hopes & the dreams on the rocks they were

shattered

No invitation was offered to debate the outcome

As I left that ship I was leaving a graveyard

What help could I offer in defence against the sea