Historic Sheet Music Collection

Document Type

Score

Publication Date

1855

Comments

Reply to "The Ocean Burial."
the sailor boy's prayer or I would die upon the sea
words by T.W. Upshur
music by Ch. C. Converse.
Boston: published by Oliver Ditson. 115 Washington St.

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Lyrics

Lay me beneath the briny wave
In a shroud of ocean's foam;
Where the seagull screams at evening's hour,
As she lights on her biill'wy home.
Make me a bed near the mermaid's cave,
Where she chants her psalms at night,
As she counts her beads near the sail or's grave,
By the coral's ruddy light,
As she counts her beads near the sailor's grave,
By the coral's ruddy light.

Yes make me a bed 'neath the sparkling deep
Which oft I've wandered o'er
And dream'd, aye happy dreams in sleep,
Of loved ones on the shore;
Oh! make me a bed 'neath the ocean's foam,
My dreams have ceased to be;
No loved one lives to greet me home,
I would die upon the sea.

Then lay me 'neath the rolling surge,
Where the sea gull screams at Eve.
Let old Ocean chant my funeral dirge,
My tomb with his billows lave.
And let the Sailor orphan's head,
In its pearly pillows rest,
Till Gabriel summons the sleeping dead,
To the mansions of the blest.

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