Lapsus Calami (Apr 1891)/Boating Song

by James Kenneth Stephen

Boating Song. K.B.C.

Lent 1880.

(Air: It's a fine hunting day.)

On a damp windy day
In tempestuous May,
In a most insufficient attire,
What a pleasure to row
For a furlong or so,
And to glow with a patriot's fire:
There is glory to win in the fray,
There are crowds to applaud all the way,
We shall very soon be
At the top of the tree
If we all go out every day.

Chorus.
Let's all go out every day
From now till the middle of May:
We shall very soon be
At the top of the tree
If we all go out every day.

By the top of the tree,
As I think you must see,
It's the head of the river I mean:
An appropriate place
For our vessel to grace
And at which she will shortly be seen:
There are still a few boats in the way,
But Rome is not built in a day,
And I have not a doubt
We shall bring it about
If we all go out every day.
Chorus.

Says our captain, says he:—
"May you all of you be
Dissected and roasted and skinned:
Five rowed with his back
In the shape of a sack
And then, when I swore at him, grinned:
Six, get those hands sharper away!
Keep your eyes in the boat there, I say!
Now get on to it, do!
Get that body down, two!
Your time's worse than ever to-day."
Chorus.

Both our Tutors are there,
Neither pleasure nor care
Can keep them away from the scene:
And who shouteth so loud
In that jubilant crowd
As each blown but uproarious Dean?
The Provost brings down Mrs A.,
Who runs a good part of the way;
Oscar Browning himself
Throws his gown on the shelf
And dismisses his staff for the day.
Chorus.