08. Beyond the Harbour Lights | Moby-Dick Act I: The Call of the Sea

[Verse 1]
The ropes fall free, the harbour slips away,
The morning opens wide before the day.
I watch the roofs grow smaller from the rail,
And feel the first clean pressure of the sail.

[Verse 2]
The streets that held me fade into the grey,
The restless weight I carried falls away.
Before us lies a world without a wall,
A moving road that answers to no call.

[Chorus]
Beyond the harbour lights I give my trust,
To wind and tide and timber, rope and gust.
The shore grows dim, the open waters shine,
And for this voyage I have made them mine.

[Verse 3]
Queequeg stands near, as steady as before,
A friend beside me while we leave the shore.
We came as strangers seeking separate ways,
Now one ship bears us into unknown days.

[Verse 4]
Around us men prepare for work at sea,
Each face becomes part of our company.
Above, the canvas fills against the blue,
And every mile makes yesterday less true.

[Chorus]
Beyond the harbour lights I give my trust,
To wind and tide and timber, rope and gust.
The shore grows dim, the open waters shine,
And for this voyage I have made them mine.

[Verse 5]
Yet somewhere underneath the brightening foam,
A quieter thought looks backward towards home.
The Pequod moves as though she knows her way,
While something darker follows through the day.

[Verse 6]
I cannot name the shadow that I feel,
It passes like a cloud across the keel.
The widening sea soon draws my gaze ahead,
And wonder fills the place where doubt had spread.

[Chorus]
Beyond the harbour lights I give my trust,
To wind and tide and timber, rope and gust.
The shore grows dim, the open waters shine,
And for this voyage I have made them mine.

[Outro]
The final harbour light sinks out of view,
The sea lies broad, the horizon clear and new.
Whatever waits beyond this fading shore,
I face the open water and ask no more.

2363/7500

[The Scene] With Ishmael and Queequeg now signed aboard and Starbuck overseeing the men under his care, the Pequod finally leaves the harbour. Ishmael watches the town and familiar shore recede as the ship gathers way beneath a widening sky. The departure feels like the release he had been seeking from life ashore, made richer by the friendship now beside him and the promise of an unknown world ahead. Yet beneath that excitement lies the first faint suggestion that this voyage may carry more than any of them yet understand. [Verse 1] The ropes fall free, the harbour slips away, The morning opens wide before the day. I watch the roofs grow smaller from the rail, And feel the first clean pressure of the sail. [Verse 2] The streets that held me fade into the grey, The restless weight I carried falls away. Before us lies a world without a wall, A moving road that answers to no call. [Chorus] Beyond the harbour lights I give my trust, To wind and tide and timber, rope and gust. The shore grows dim, the open waters shine, And for this voyage I have made them mine. [Verse 3] Queequeg stands near, as steady as before, A friend beside me while we leave the shore. We came as strangers seeking separate ways, Now one ship bears us into unknown days. [Verse 4] Around us men prepare for work at sea, Each face becomes part of our company. Above, the canvas fills against the blue, And every mile makes yesterday less true. [Chorus] Beyond the harbour lights I give my trust, To wind and tide and timber, rope and gust. The shore grows dim, the open waters shine, And for this voyage I have made them mine. [Verse 5] Yet somewhere underneath the brightening foam, A quieter thought looks backward towards home. The Pequod moves as though she knows her way, While something darker follows through the day. [Verse 6] I cannot name the shadow that I feel, It passes like a cloud across the keel. The widening sea soon draws my gaze ahead, And wonder fills the place where doubt had spread. [Chorus] Beyond the harbour lights I give my trust, To wind and tide and timber, rope and gust. The shore grows dim, the open waters shine, And for this voyage I have made them mine. [Outro] The final harbour light sinks out of view, The sea lies broad, the horizon clear and new. Whatever waits beyond this fading shore, I face the open water and ask no more.

0/500