My Donald
Whispers of the Sea: A Love's Solitude in My Donald's Absence
Lyrics
Oh my Donald he works on the sea
Expressing affection for Donald, who works at sea.
On the waves that blow wild and free
Describing the untamed and free nature of the waves he works on.
He splices the ropes and he sets the sails
Depicting Donald's work of splicing ropes and setting sails.
While southward he rolls to the home of the whale
Indicating his journey southward, possibly to a whaling destination.
And he ne'er thinks o' me far behind
Donald doesn't think about the speaker being left behind.
Nor the torments that rage in my mind
Expressing the emotional turmoil in the speaker's mind.
He's mine for only part of the year
Acknowledging that Donald is only with the speaker part of the year.
And I'm left all alone with only my tears
Conveying the loneliness felt by the speaker in Donald's absence.
Ye ladies that smell of wild rose
Addressing other women who wear wild rose perfume.
Think ye for your perfume to where a man goes
Suggesting they consider where their scent reaches, possibly hinting at infidelity.
Think ye o' the wives and the babies that yearn
Encouraging reflection on the yearning of wives and babies left behind.
For a man ne'er returning from hunting the sperm
Referring to the dangers of whaling and the uncertainty of a man's return.
My Donald he works on the sea
Repeating the description of Donald's work at sea.
On the waves that blow wild and free
Reiterating the wild and free nature of the waves.
He splices the ropes and sets the sails
Repeating the description of Donald's tasks with ropes and sails.
While southward he rolls to the home of the whale
Repeating the idea of Donald heading southward, possibly for whaling.
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