Henry Martin

There were three brothers in merry Scotland,
In merry Scotland there were three,
And they did cast lots which of them should go,
should go, should go,
And turn robber all on the salt sea.

The lot it fell first upon Henry Martin,
The youngest of all three;
That he should turn robber all on the salt sea,
Salt sea, salt sea.
For to maintain his two brothers and he.

He had not been sailing but a long winter's night
And a part of a short winter's day,
Before he espied a stout lofty ship,
lofty ship, lofty ship,
Come a bibing down on him straight way.

Hullo! Hullo! cried Henry Martin,
What makes you sail so nigh?
I'm a rich merchant bound for fair London town,
London Town, London Town
Will you please for to let me pass by?

Oh no! Oh no! cried Henry Martin,
That thing it never could be,
For I am turned robber all on the salt sea
Salt sea, salt sea.
For to maintain my brothers and me.

Come lower your topsail and brail up your mizz'n
And bring your ship under my lee,
Or I will give you a full flowing ball,
flowing ball, flowing ball,
And your dear bodies drown in the salt sea.

Oh no! we won't lower our lofty topsail,
Nor bow ourselves under your lee,
And you shan't take from us our rich merchant goods,
merchant goods, merchant goods
Nor point our bold guns to the sea.

With broadside and broadside and at it they went
For fully two hours or three,
Till Henry Martin gave to her the death shot,
the death shot, the death shot,
And straight to the bottom went she.

Bad news, bad news, to old England came,
Bad news to fair London Town,
There's been a rich vessel and she's cast away,
cast away, cast away,
And all of the merry men drown'd.

Lost Generation

I am part of a lost generation
and I refuse to believe that
I can change the world
I realize this may be a shock but
“Happiness comes from within.”
is a lie, and
“Money will make me happy.”
So in 30 years I will tell my children
they are not the most important thing in my life
My employer will know that
I have my priorities straight because
work
is more important than
family
I tell you this
Once upon a time
Families stayed together
but this will not be true in my era
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce
I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making
In the future
Environmental destruction will be the norm
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this earth
It will be evident that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope

And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it.

There is hope
It is foolish to presume that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic
It will be evident that
My peers and I care about this earth
No longer can it be said that
Environmental destruction will be the norm
In the future
I will live in a country of my own making
I do not concede that
30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce
Experts tell me
This is a quick fix society
but this will not be true in my era
Families stayed together
Once upon a time
I tell you this
family
is more important than
work
I have my priorities straight because
My employer will know that
they are not the most important thing in my life
So in 30 years I will tell my children
“Money will make me happy.”
is a lie, and
“Happiness comes from within.”
I realize this may be a shock but
I can change the world
and I refuse to believe that
I am part of a lost generation

by Jonathan Reed

Mulla Nasrudin on respect

A number of would-be disciples came to the Mulla one day and asked him to give them a lecture.
"Very well," he said, "follow me to the lecture hall."
They lined up obediently behind Nasrudin, who mounted his donkey back to front, and moved off.
At first the youths were confused, but later they remembered that they should not question even the slightest action of a teacher. Finally they could not bear the jeers of the ordinary passers-by.
Sensing their unease, the Mulla stopped and stared at them.
The boldest of them all approached him.
"Mulla, we don't understand. Why are you riding that donkey face to tail?"
"Quite simple," said the Mulla. "You see, if you were to walk in front of me, this would be disrespectful to me. On the other hand, if I had my back to you, it would be disrespectful toward you. This is the sole possible compromise."