I had a silver penny and an apricot tree
And I said to the sailor on the white quay
"Sailor 'O sailor will you bring me
If I give you my penny and my apricot tree
A fez from Algeria an Arab drum to beat
And a little gilt sword and a parakeet?"
Well, he smiled and kissed me As strong as death
And I saw his red tongue and I felt his sweet breath
"You may keep your penny and your apricot tree
And I'll bring your presents back from sea."
(from over the sea...)
The ship dipped down on the rim of the sky
And I waited while three long summers went by
(three long summers went by...)
Then one steel morning on the white quay
I saw a grey ship come in from sea
Slowly she came across the bay
For her flashing rigging was shot away
All round her wake the seabirds cried
They flew in and out of the hole in her side
Slowly she came into the path of the sun
And I heard the sound of a distant gun
(of a distant gun...)
Then a stranger came running up to me
From the deck of the ship and he said, said he
"'O are you the boy who would wait on the quay
With the little silver penny and the apricot tree?
For I've got a plum-coloured fez and a drum for thee
I've got a sword and a parakeet from over the sea."
'O where is the sailor with bold red hair?
And what is that volley on the bright air?
And where are the other girls and boys?
And why have you brought me children's toys?
(brought me children's toys???)
And I said to the sailor on the white quay
"Sailor 'O sailor will you bring me
If I give you my penny and my apricot tree
A fez from Algeria an Arab drum to beat
And a little gilt sword and a parakeet?"
Well, he smiled and kissed me As strong as death
And I saw his red tongue and I felt his sweet breath
"You may keep your penny and your apricot tree
And I'll bring your presents back from sea."
(from over the sea...)
The ship dipped down on the rim of the sky
And I waited while three long summers went by
(three long summers went by...)
Then one steel morning on the white quay
I saw a grey ship come in from sea
Slowly she came across the bay
For her flashing rigging was shot away
All round her wake the seabirds cried
They flew in and out of the hole in her side
Slowly she came into the path of the sun
And I heard the sound of a distant gun
(of a distant gun...)
Then a stranger came running up to me
From the deck of the ship and he said, said he
"'O are you the boy who would wait on the quay
With the little silver penny and the apricot tree?
For I've got a plum-coloured fez and a drum for thee
I've got a sword and a parakeet from over the sea."
'O where is the sailor with bold red hair?
And what is that volley on the bright air?
And where are the other girls and boys?
And why have you brought me children's toys?
(brought me children's toys???)