My Love, she sailed away from me upon the sea one year
And when she did return to me, I asked of her, My Dear
Did you miss me frightfully while sailing all alone
And think of me so faithfully awaiting you at home

My Love she did not speak at first, which caused my heart to stop
For I was sure my heart was cursed and that my Love was lost
The salt and spray had stained her hair, the wind and sun her skin
She was more beautiful, I swear, than she had ever been

Her eyes were crystalline and clear, an oceanic blue
Her siren voice I longed to hear, as sweet as honeydew
Her ship at rest within the port was trim and neat and sound
And I could only dream of lands where it had come to ground

My Love unfurled her ensign high atop the tallest mast
Depicting just one watchful eye, which 'cross the harbor cast
Its gaze at me though she refused to look me in the face
Which stayed my hand from taking hers and set my mind to race

Upon its deck her ship was laden down with many chests
And that was but a portion, as the holds contained the rest
Of all the treasures she had gleaned from kingdoms ‘round the globe
For every king that she had seen had added to her trove

She sailed through southern waters, following the Southern Cross
In tropic heat and polar freeze, becalmed and tempest tossed
She left our bay in early May for the South China Sea
Her silhouette at break of day had turned its back to me

Occasionally a letter from Siam or Senegal
Informed me that she’d set her mind on sailing through the fall
But when the leaves in autumn fell and winter bleak set in
She wrote to say she could not tell when we might meet again

She settled in an island town, she wore a native dress
And when the King would come around they gently did caress
The fruits and fish so plentiful a feast they did decree
The King was kind and dutiful to his new bride-to-be

The courtiers they set alight a giant cooking fire
They slayed a calf that full moon night and threw it on the pyre
The princesses and courtesans danced for the jubilee
And sixty snow white swans were ceremonially freed

My Love’s loyal crew they came to shore that they might too partake
Of all the pleasures held in store for the royal wedding date
In silks and pantaloons they dripped of derring-do and style
They gave each native girl a boon, each girl gave them a smile

The King was crowned with rustling fronds, the fragance of a peach
With shells of brilliant abalone and bounty from the beach
My Love was draped in golden cloth, in irridescent shades
Her smile was white as ocean froth, her eyes as bright as blades

On every eve I kept the watch along the harbor pier
Hoping to spot the graceful yacht bringing my true Love near
I’d no idea what had become of my Love on her trip
But as the snows gave way to spring my faith began to slip

The High Priestess awaited them beside the altar stone
Her high headdress would put to shame the Cardinals of Rome
Her robes were spun from spider’s silk and golden filigree
Her hands were white as mother’s milk; she wore no jewelry

The temple opened to the air without a roof above
The stars bore witness there to the betrothal of my Love
The temple floor of engraved tile, black as obsidian
Reflected back the million lights of heaven’s million suns

The solstice moon serenely rose above the swaying palms
The night blooms on the mangrove trees suffused a healing balm
A thousand men from ‘round the isle, a thousand women more
Formed two great ailses that stretched down from the temple to the shore

My Love in her island kingdom, lush fields of verdant green
She bathed herself in southern sun and washed her warm heart clean
She stood beside her husband King, she pledged her solemn vow
On her hand she wore his ring, a tiara on her brow

A roar rose up from every throat, a cheer in every voice
As every woman, man, and child applauded my Love’s choice
The sailors from my Love’s proud ship for good forsook their posts
And for my Love a palace built which overlooked the coast

A thunderhead eclipsed the sun that morn when I awoke
And as I rose as from the dead, the dawn and storm both broke
The torrent rains came pouring down and yet the sun still shone
Your Love lies with another was what I heard the thunder moan

For one full day the rain and light were equal in the sky
Day passed followed by the night, ‘til I stirred myself and sighed
And so in time I set myself to leave my Love behind
As she had left me once herself, and pay her no more mind