Sing your hymns of evensong
Sail out to far lagoons
All you fishermen and you fortune hunters
Sharpen your harpoons.
Sing rhapsodies
To the fickle gods that guide you
Awake the brave adventurer
That sleeps inside you
Before you vanish away like midnight smoke
So that no signs or memories remain
You might vanish away like midnight smoke
And never be seen again
You sailors, sail your stormy seas
You gamblers, roll your balls
All you butterflies and you balerinas
Dance until you fall
Dream and believe
Follow what you'er serching for
One day the brave adventurer
Will be no more
You just vanish away like midnight smoke
So that no signs or memories remain
You just vanish away like midnight smoke
And never be seen again
(Repeat chorus)
Spoken:
"I engage with the Snark - every night after dark -
In a dreamy delirious fight:
I serve it with greens in those shadowy scenes,
And I use it for striking a light.
"But if ever I meet with a Boojum, that day,
In a moment (of this I am sure),
I shall softly and suddenly vanish away -
And the notion I cannot endure!
"'Tis a pitiful tale," said the Bellman, whose face
Had grown longer at every word;
"But, now that you've stated the whole of your case,
More debate would be simply absurd."
"The rest of my speech" (he explained to his men)
"You shall hear when I've leisure to speak it.
But the snark is at hand, let me tell you again!
'Tis your glorious duty to seek it!"
"To seek it with thimbles, to seek it with care;
To pursue it with forks and hope;
To threaten its life with a railway-share;
To charm it with smiles and soap!"
"For the Snark's a peculiar creature, that won't
Be caught in a commonplace way.
Do all that you know, and try all that you don't;
Not a chance must be wasted to-day!"