A year agone, a year agone, our Dicky sailed away;
A blue light danced about his eyes like sunshine on the bay,
He whissled passin’ down along, his heart was glad an’ gay,
A year agone, a year agone, when Dicky sailed away.
A year agone! a year agone! The time do speed so fast,
It scairce do seem a year agone we saw our Dicky last;
It seems as if his steps must come aclatterin’ to the door,
An’ he be claimin’ payment with his breakfast for the score.
He loved the lanes in springtime an’ he loved them at the fall,
But when the honeysuckle bloomed he loved them best of all;
I mind me how he had a sprig stuck in his cap that day,
A year agone, a year agone, when Dicky sailed away.
There wasn’ lad was handier at stawin’ of a sail,
There wasn’ lad was cheerfuller at stemmin’ through a gale,
There wasn’ lad was heartier at fishin’ or at play,
A year agone, a year agone, when Dicky sailed away.
A many ships come into port along the flowin’ tide,
A many lads come home again an’ safe in harbour ride,
But all in vain we watch for one, an’ all in vain we pray.
A year agone, a year agone, our Dicky sailed away!