Little Sailor Boy

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

English poetry--19th century

American poetry--19th century

Sailors--Poetry

Prayers--Poetry

Love--Poetry

Rowson, Mrs., 1762-1824

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

The Sailor Boy

The sea was calm, the sky serene,
And gently blew the eastern gale,
When Anna, seated on a rock,
Watched the Pavinia’s lessening sail.
To Heaven she thus here prayer addressed:
Thou who canst save or canst destroy!
From each surrounding danger guard,
My much-loved little sailor boy.

When tempests over the ocean howl,
And even sailors shrink with dread,
Be some protecting angel near,
To hover over my William’s head:
He was beloved by all the plain,
His father’s pride, his mother’s joy,
Then safely to their arms restore,
Their much-loved little sailor boy.

May no rude foe his course impede,
Conduct him safely over the waves,
O! may he never be compelled,
To fight for power or mix with slaves,
May smiling peace his steps attend,
Each rising hour be crowned with joy,
As blest as that when I again,
Shall meet my much-loved little sailor boy.

1804

113_LittleSailorBoy