The bus drove on, left me there

a million memories filled the air

I breathed in deep and recalled well

that familiar Gate Five low tide smell

the parking lot, the abandoned cars

where automation leaves her scars

the overflowing Magic Box

the welcoming old weathered docks

old friends looked rather worn to me

as if they'd spent some years at sea

but then, a few winters in this port

can make a long life end up short

Some years ago I first came here

a product of twentieth century fear

but everyone just let me go

no one ever told me No!

you didn't have to go too far

to find someone who played guitar

I'd play along and pretty soon

I could accompany the tune

I learned to row I learned to sail

battled out the winter's gale

built my fires snug and warm

dragged my anchor in a storm

hauled my water in a crock

down the listing teetering dock

carried home scrounged firewood

that kind of work all did me good!

I'll never forget my first rowboat

when I first got her she didn't float

and every salt who passed that day

had a different piece of advice to say

so I got me a big ol' batch

of that awful gloppy stuff Wet Patch

and to top that off, and kiddin' I ain't

three coats of latex indoor paint!

I launched her, and that very night

she slowly sank out of sight

Oh well, I was only a beginner

at least I wasn't sitting in her!

She wasn't as kind to all around

I've seen her turn and take 'em down

breaking their will as she pleases

until they're riddled with her diseases

Peacock, Gene Lee, Captain Dredge

Andrea, driven to the edge

Danny Joe, Jack the Fluke

waking to their morning puke

Susan Old Dog, Josaphine

Michael Young, The Sun King!

Kathy Rebel, Bad Bruce, Star

some had come and gone too far

You can't walk through Waldo with great speed

she's a long and difficult book to read

and some folks, when they reach the end

just want to sit back and read her again

I read her fully, more than caught the gist

don't think there's too much I missed

but as the flame burns out and the fire dies

so the passion left my eyes

I left on a cold and wintry day

there wasn't anything left to say

she was my home, she'll always be

Waldo Point was good to me