Donovan Leitch Epistle To Derroll Lyrics

Epistle To Derroll Lyrics

Come all ye starry starfish



living in the deep blue sea



crawl to me i have proposition to make thee



would you walk the north sea floor



to Belgium from England



Bring me word of a banjo man



With a tattoo on his hand.







The spokesman of the starfish



spoke as spokesman should



"If'nyou met our fee then



certainly we would,



If you cast a looking-glass



upon the scallopped sand



You'll have word o' this banjo man



with a tattoo on his hand."







"Come ye starry starfish



I know your ways are caped



maybe its because your astrologically shaped,



Converse with the herring shoals



as I know you can



Bring me word o' the banjo man



with a tattoo on his hand."







The eldest of the starfish



spoke, after a sigh,



"Youthfull as you are young man



you have a 'Wisdom Eye';



Surely you must know a looking-glass



is made from sand?



These youngfish are fooling you



about this banjo man."















"Come then aged starfish



Riddle me no more,



for news I am weary



and my heart is sore;



All on the silent seashore,



help me if you can,



Tell to me if you know



of this banjo man."







"All through the seven oceans



I am a star, most famed,



Many 'leggys' have I lost



and many have I gained,



Strange to say quite recently



I've been to Fleming Land



And if you are courteous



I'll tell you all I can."







"You have my full attention"



I answered him with glee,



His brother stars were twinkling



in the sky above the sea



So I sat there with rapt



attention, on the sand,



very anxious for to hear



of the banjo man.







"I have seen this tattooed hand



through a ship port-hole,



Steaming on the watery main



through the waves so cold,



Heard his tinkling banjo and



his voice so grand



but you must come to Belgium



to shake his tattooed hand."







"Gladly would I come oh



gladly would I go,



Had I not my work to do



and my face to show,



I rejoice to know he's well



but I must go inland,



thank you for the words you brought



of the banjo man."







I walked along the evening sand



as charcoal clouds did shift



revealing the moon shining



on the pebble drift



Contemplating every other word



the starfish said



whistly winds they filled my dreams



in my dreaming bed.