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Melville, Herman, 1819-1891

"Moby Dick: or, the White Whale"

)
Oh! jolly is the gale,
And a joker is the whale,
A' flourishin' his tail,--
Such a funny, sporty, gamy, jesty, joky, hoky-poky
lad, is the Ocean, oh!
The scud all a flyin',
That's his flip only foamin';
When he stirs in the spicin',--
Such a funny, sporty, gamy, jesty, joky, hoky-poky
lad, is the Ocean, oh!
Thunder splits the ships,
But he only smacks his lips,
A tastin' of this flip,--
Such a funny, sporty, gamy, jesty, joky, hoky-poky
lad, is the Ocean, oh!

"Avast Stubb," cried Starbuck, "let the Typhoon sing, and strike
his harp here in our rigging; but if thou art a brave man thou
wilt hold thy peace."
"But I am not a brave man; never said I was a brave man;
I am a coward; and I sing to keep up my spirits.
And I tell you what it is, Mr. Starbuck, there's no way
to stop my singing in this world but to cut my throat.
And when that's done, ten to one I sing ye the doxology
for a wind-up."
"Madman! look through my eyes if thou hast none of thine own.


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