A Man ‘Mongst Other Men

I signed on that old sailing ship to find meself a life.
Too wise by far for schoolin’, and too young to want no wife.
But if I’d known what I’d go through once we ‘ad left the shore
I never would ‘ave walked out o’ that door.

No more was I than sixteen year, though sure I was full grown.
I’d only worked the farms before I set out on me own.
A cocky kid who never did but ‘ang around at ‘ome.
Who never should ‘ave chose to try to roam.

I packed up me belongin’s though, which didn’t take too long.
And packed me past be’ind me too, which didn’t seem so wrong,
And ‘itched a ride to catch the tide and ‘elped cast off the line,
And wondered ‘bout this brand new life o’ mine.

Well that was nineteen month ago, and just now I returned.
I’ve scars across me broken nose, and manhood truly earned.
Me knuckles, too, is scarred and blue. I gave as good as took.
And learned more from that ship than any book.

I’d nineteen months o’ purgat’ry, which made that kid a man.
And learned to fight for what was mine, and not once have I ran.
And give ‘em due, I lost a few before I learned to win.
But never let them think I might give in.

I started at the bottom and right there I would ‘ave stayed
‘Ad I not figured pretty quick to show I’m not afraid.
And though I might ‘ave lost the fight, that first and painful time,
‘Twas then my social rank began to climb.

I ‘ad to prove meself the worth o’ those what give me ‘ell.
And win respect for shovin’ back, not runnin’ off to tell.
And once I learned that what I’d earned bore rough-cut dignity,
I also earned the rough respect o’ me.

So ‘ere I stands at eighteen year, a man who’ll look you straight,
With shoulders o’ the farm boy, and the knuckles o’ the mate.
I’ve earned me pride on soil and tide and like what I became.
For that old ship don’t let you stay the same.

And now I’m signin’ off and then I’m ‘eading for the land.
I’ll cuss me shipmates one more time and shake ‘em by the ‘and.
Then ‘oist me pack high on me back and walk up to the farm,
And show me worried mum I met no ‘arm.

I’ll go back to the lambing sheds, the milk barn and the plough.
I’ve been to find adventure and I’ve ‘ad me fill for now.
I’ll study then at school again, and build meself a life,
And start to find the lass to be me wife.

I still owe that old schooner, though God knows I paid me dues.
She taught me what no school can teach, in ways that I can use.
She taught me when ‘mongst other men to show that I’m a man,
And why, and how, and ‘specially that I can.

That creakin’ leakin’ schooner at the call o’ wind and tide,
She scoured that stupid, wide-eyed kid and found the man inside.
And took ‘im ‘alf way round the world, and dropped ‘im at the door
He’ll never need to leave from any more.
She took ‘im ‘alf way round the world, and brought ‘im ‘ome agen….
The boy now gone, and from now on a man ‘mongst other men!