Make and Break Harbour

by Stan Rogers

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6      6   7    7    7    8  -8     7       -7 7     -8How still lies the bay in the light western airs,
    8       -9       8    -8      7  -8     7 -6 6Which blow from the crimson horizon;
  9        9      8       7    8          8  8   -9  8  7      6 Once more we tack home with a dry empty hold,
 -6 -6     -6       7    7    7 -7      -8   -8Saving gas with the breezes so fair.
 6       6   6    7   7        7  8  -8    7   -7  7        -8She's a kindly Cape Islander, old but still sound,
  -8  8   -9   8  -8    7  -8  7     -6 6
But so lost in the longliner's shadow;
   9       9         9     8       7      8    8     8   -9     8    7    6Make and break and make do, but the fish are so few,
    5    -5      6    7      8      7        5      -5       6  7That she won't be replaced should she flounder.
 
 -6   -6      -7        7       7    -7    -6   -6        6    6   6 
In Make And Break Harbour the boats are so few,
   5     5  5     6       5     -4      4    4 3
Too many are pulled up and rotten;
    3       3   4       4       4 3       5    5      -4      4   3
Most houses stand empty, old nets hung to dry
  4      4       3 3      3     2      2  3 4
Are blown away, lost and forgotten.