Act One
Scene 1
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| THE DOCKS OF A SMALL FINISHING TOWN |
(Dock workers are busy, unloading hauls, coiling ropes, sharing the news of the day. A younger dock-hand approaches the group.)
DOCK-HAND.
(spoken)
Is it true? Is it true what they say?
OLDER SAILOR.
(spoken)
Every word, boy. And we all learned it by heart when we was younger than you.
SOLO.
DOCK-HAND.
(spoken)
Is it true? Is it true what they say?
OLDER SAILOR.
(spoken)
Every word, boy. And we all learned it by heart when we was younger than you.
SOLO.
The story of the one-armed sailor
It's a cautionary tale
SOLO.
SOLO.
Of the dangerous of monotony
SOLO.
SOLO.
In a heart that longs to sail
A FEW.
A FEW.
See monotony's a poison
And it can kill you nice and slow
THE GROUP.
THE GROUP.
But the sea can kill you quickly
As the sailor'd come to know
SOLO.
What do you smell in the salty air, as you look t'ward the unseen
OLDER SAILOR.
The grass on the distant shore-line is rarely quite so green
THE GROUP.
So heed the tale
So heed the tale
Of the one-armed sail-or
Of the one-armed sail-or
Heed the tale
Heed the tale
For it is true!
Oh, heed the tale
Heed the tale
Of the one-armed sail-or
Of the one-armed sail-or
You might not be so lucky when it happens to you.
SOLO.
The story of the one-armed sailor
Is a tale we've heard before
SOLO.
SOLO.
Of a lesson learned the hard way
SOLO.
SOLO.
Of a life lived best on shore
A COUPLE.
A COUPLE.
When the news came if of a deadly storm
No one blinked an eye
SOLO.
SOLO.
Not for the shipwreck nor the slavers
A FEW.
A FEW.
Nor the sailor left to die
SOLO.
What do you see where the sun meets the sea in a shiny golden glow
SOLO.
SOLO.
The only sunset we will get, is the darkness deep below
THE GROUP.
So heed the tale
So heed the tale
Of the one-armed sail-or
Of the one-armed sail-or
Heed the tale
Heed the tale
For it is true!
Oh, heed the tale
Heed the tale
Of the one-armed sail-or
Of the one-armed sail-or
You might not be so lucky when it happens to you.
So heed the tale
So heed the tale
Of the one-armed sail-or
Of the one-armed sail-or
Heed the tale
Heed the tale
For it is true!
Oh, heed the tale
Heed the tale
Of the one-armed sail-or
Of the one-armed sail-or
You might not be so lucky when it happens to you.
But we feel it
The longing
And it whispers to us all
When routine starts to deafen us
We hear another call
Cause we feel it
The longing
Drawing us to sea
That is where a sailor longs to be
So heed the tale
Heed the tale
The ocean is indifferent
And the best laid plans can fail
Heed the tale
Oh, Heed the tale
When e're your heart is flooding
Your head can be your pail
And heed the tale of the one-armed sailor
OLD SAILOR.
(spoken)
His name was Fitzwallace.
SAILOR.
(spoken)
Brother of captain Andrew Fitzwallace, from the Old Marquis.
OLD SAILOR.
(spoken)
He had a homestead about fifty miles from Teller.
OLD SAILOR.
(spoken)
His name was Fitzwallace.
SAILOR.
(spoken)
Brother of captain Andrew Fitzwallace, from the Old Marquis.
OLD SAILOR.
(spoken)
He had a homestead about fifty miles from Teller.
