Safe in the Harbor

Cape May     photo by Ann Seeger


For some reason, these two songs, which I have loved for years,  are with me very much this morning. The lyrics are very meaningful to me:


 Harbour    by    Eric Bogle




Have you stood by the ocean on a diamond-hard morning
And felt the horizon stir deep in your soul?
Watched the wake of a steamer as it cut thru blue water
And been gripped by a fever you just can't control?
O to throw off the shackles and fly with the seagulls
To where green waves tumble before a driving sea wind
Or to lie on the decking on a warm summer evening
Watch the red sun fall burning beneath the earth's rim

Chorus:
But to every sailor comes time to drop anchor
Haul in the sails and make the lines fast
You deep water dreamer, your journey is over
You're safe in the harbor at last (2x)

Some men are sailors, but most are just dreamers
Held fast by the anchors they forge in their minds
Who in their hearts know they'll never sail over deep water
To search for a treasure they're afraid they won't find
So in sheltered harbours they cling to their anchors
Bank dow their boilers & shut down their steam
And wait for the sailors to return with the bright treasures
That will fan the dull embers & fire up their dreams

And some men are schemers who laugh at the dreamers
Take the gold from the sailors & turn it to dross
They're men in a prison, they're men without vision
Whose only horizon is profit and loss

So when storm clouds come sailing across your blue ocean
Hold fast to your dreaming for all that you're worth
For as long as there's dreamers, there will always be sailors
Bringing back their bright treasures from the corners of earth

Diamond Hard morning.... my own photo at Cape May one June

I'm ready             by Tracy Chapman

I want to wake up and know where I'm going
Say I'm ready
Say I'm ready
I want to go where the rivers are overflowing and
I'll be ready
I'll be ready
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me

If it's love flowin' freely
I'm ready
I'm ready
If the waters can redeem me
I'm ready
I'm ready

I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me

I want to wake up
I want to know where I'm going
I want to go where the rivers are over-flowing
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me
I'm ready
I'm ready ...

Cape May harbor