Gordon Lightfoot: Ballad of yarmouth castle

Well, it's four o'clock in the afternoonAnd the anchors have been weighedFrom miami to nassau,She's bound across the wavesShe'll be headin' south through biscayne bayInto the open seaYarmouth castle, she's a-dyin' and don't know itNow the many years she's been to seaShe's seen the better timesShe gives a groan of protestAs they cast away her linesAnd the grumble of her enginesAnd the rust along her spineTells the castle she's too old to be sailin'But the sands run out within her heartA tiny spark glows redIt smoulders through the eveningThere's laughter overheadNow the men are served, and the cards are dealtAnd the drinks are passed aroundDeep within the fire starts a-burnin'Now it's midnight on the open seaAnd the moon is shining brightSome people join the partyAnd others say good-nightThere's many who are sleeping nowIt's been a busy dayAnd a tiny wisp of smoke is a-risin'Oh lord, she groans, I'm burning!Let someone understand!But her silent plea is wastedIn the playin of the bandEverybody's dancin' on her deckAnd they're havin' such a timeThen a voice saysShut up and deal, I'm losin'Deep within the yarmouth castleThe fire begins to glowIt leaps into the hallwaysAnd climbs and twists and growsAnd the paint she wore to keep her youngOh lord, how well it burnsAnd soon that old fire is a-ragin'Up beneath the bridge it's climbin' fastThe captain stands aloftHe calls up to the boatswain, 'n' saysBoatswain, we are lostFor the ragged hoses in the racksNo pressure do they holdAnd the people down belowWill soon be dyin'All amidships, oh she's blazin' nowIt's spreadin' fore and aftThe people are a-scramblin'As the fire blocks their pathThe evil smoke surrounds them,And they're fallin' in their tracksAnd the captain in his lifeboat is a-leavin'Oh then the ship, bahama starComes steamin' through the nightShe sees the castle blazin'And 'tis a terrible sightJump down, jump down! the captain criesWe'll save you if we can!Then the paint on his funnels is a-fryinGod help the ones who sleep belowAnd cannot find the way!Thank God for those we've rescuedUpon this awful day.Now the heroes, they are many,But the times are growin' slimAnd now from stern to bowShe's a-blazin'Oh the yarmouth castle's moanin'She's cryin' like a child.You can hear her if you listenAbove the roar so wildIs she cryin' for the ones who lieWithin her molten sides? Or cryin' for herself, I'm a-wonderin'But the livin' soon were rescuedThe ones who lived to tellFrom the star they watched herAs she died there in the swellsLike a toy ship on a mill pondShe burned all through the nightThen slipped neath the wavesIn the mornin'