Poor Old Barnes

Poor Old Barnes

He came on the voyage to so far away
Sixty four years he was to the day
Far from the land of his birth he would stay
Poor Old Barnes

An old father loved by his kith and his kin
Never a kinder old soul has there been
Happy he was with a pipe and his gin
Poor Old Barnes

They sailed on the ship from Portsmouth it left
Bound for the Bay of Botany twas cleft
Samuel was happy though some were bereft
Poor Old Barnes

He sat on the stairs of the Captains door
Hoping for a chat, a nod, nothing more
The waves rolled by so far from the shore
Poor Old Barnes

They sailed past the point named Cape of Good Hope
But with measles abound some young could not cope
But stoic he sat and mended some rope
Poor Old Barnes

The waves they did swell and sickness abound
His grandson did die and a wail did resound
From the lips of his son and Samuel was found
Poor Old Barnes

The falling was heard with a terrible crash
To the scene of the accident Samuel did dash
To see lying is son with his skull quite abashed
Poor Old Barnes

His son did survive though not quite the same
For Sarah was sick and feeling quite lame
And Samuel did nurse her, wiped fever aflame
Poor Old Barnes

Then Samuel did sicken the fever he caught
His sons tried to help but their efforts bought naught
And finally he died though much he had fought
Poor Old Barnes

He went with his sons to a land of good fortune
With dreams of new life, excitement and opportune
But now he just lays in the arms of old Neptune
Poor Old Barnes