The Tale of the Good Ship Marguerite Louise

stranglehold cold wind
mutes dull foghorn moan
banshee storm shriek
deafens warning groan

feeble lighthouse beam
struggles and strains
in fog clogged night
and blinding rain

freighter D. Jack out on the lake
November gales set in
headed for the haven
unaware of the danger within

nothing seen in darkning drear
no beaming light appear
no moon marked rocks
to sailors seems all clear

nothing heard in dead cold fog
of steady, sounding gong
only tolls a death knell
disaster 'fore ere long

tempest waters dead ahead
feeble flickering light blood red
no saving beam on empty sky
story ends when all are dead

blame the deafening dead cold fog
blame the storm that tossed night
blame the winter coming soon
blame the waning of the light

sing the song
of the D. Jack's death and gloom
sing the song
of the D. Jack's end and doom

life is full of ironies
while lake storm's brewin
old ship Marguerite Louise
sits moored and falling to ruin

but winter night has magic
there's enchantment in the air
lake storm ripples into harbour
sets the skeleton Marguerite astir

bumping, banging, clanking
rattling all her chains
grinding, jangling, creaking
louder than the rains

Marguerite was heard clear across old Michigan
all up and down the coast
that periled frieghter D.Jack was saved
though no one knew the host

what ghosts did possess
the old Marguerite L. that night
sailors, criminals, fishermen
dark demons or heaven's light?

Sailors lost are sailors lost
though varied be the clime
Do some come back to warn others
just in the nick of time?