Herring Croon

Herring Croon

words and music c 1965 Gordon Bok on his cd Herrings in the Bay
last verse c 2009 Gordon Bok from the 2010 cd Other Eyes

Where do you go, little herring,
what do you see, tail and fin?
"Blue and green, cold and dark, seaweed growing high
hills a hundred fathom deep where the dead men lie
Dogfish eyes and mackerels' eyes and they hunger after me
net or weir, I don't care,
catch me if you can."

Where do you go, little boat,
tar and timber, plank and sail?
"I go to green bays, lift them under me
cold, gray, combing seas come to bury me
rocky jaws and stony claws and they hunger after me
harbors cold, deep and bold, wish that I could see."

What do you see, fisherman,
poor old sailor, blood and bone?
"Mackerel skies, mares' tails, reef and furl and steer
poor haul, and hungry days, rotten line and gear
snow-wind and winter gales and oh, they hunger after me
net or weir, I don't care, catch you if I can."

Where do you go, little herring,
what do you see, tail and fin?
"Blue and green, cold and dark, seaweed growing high
hills a hundred fathom deep where the fishermen lie
dogfish eyes and mackerels' eyes and oh, they hunger after me
net or weir, I don't care,
catch me if you can."

Where have you gone, little herring;
what have you seen, tail and fin?
"Cold and black, dead and dark, bottom torn away,
draggers staving everywhere, drug this garden dry,
pair-trawl, midwater-trawl- God, they hungered after me!
Tore my home to hell and gone
there's no more place for me."