For four long years we sailed the high seas in our ship
And neither storms nor battles dulled our colours.
We learnt to mend the sails that bullets ripped;
We’d press our bodies on our craft to plug her.

Once a flotilla started chasing after us;
The sea was calm, we couldn’t dodge that meeting.
But then our captain told us without fuss:
"It’s not yet evening, it’s not yet evening!"

Their flagship drew up sideways on, its port side ringed
With coloured smoke while blindly, without aiming,
We shot back salvos - and our luck was in!
We killed our foes and left their vessel flaming.

We had escaped from tighter corners in our time,
But still an ill wind blew; our hold was leaking.
And then our captain gave his usual sign:
"It’s not yet evening, it’s not yet evening."

Through big binoculars a hundred eyes were trained;
Through telescopes they saw us mad and blackened -
But rest assured they’ll never see us chained
And manning galley oars in servile fashion!

Our ship was listing as they fired from front and back;
"God save our human souls", we started pleading.
But then our captain yelled: "Boarding attack!
It’s not yet evening! It’s not yet evening!"

If you’ve got heart, you want to live and you’re no drip
Prepare your hands to be your deadly weapon!
And let the rats desert the sinking ship -
In combat we don’t need them here to step on.

The rats all thought: "Many a true word’s said in jest."
As case-shot flew they dumbly started leaving.
We neared the frigate till we sat abreast.
It’s not yet evening, it’s not yet evening!

We fought them eye to eye, blades clashing, ear to ear!
Not to be fed to tentacles and nippers
Some waving guns and daggers, some in tears,
We left for good and all our sinking clipper.

But they’ll not send it to the bottom in the end -
The sea will stop our vessel from receding
Because the sea’s our ever-loyal friend
And like our captain said - it’s not yet evening!