“Have you news of my boy Jack? ”
Not this tide
“When d’you think that he’ll come back?”
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide

“Has anyone else had word of him?”
Not this tide
For what is sunk will hardly swim
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide

“Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?”
None this tide
Nor any tide
Except he did not shame his kind—
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide

Then hold your head up all the more
This tide
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!