A Thousand Ships

Lady Tangwystl Goch of Llanfaes or some such Gaelic gibberish is a short, sweet, redhaired angel from St Ursula, quite the loveliest lady that college has ever produced (and that’s saying something!). Tragically, she felt the call of Pennsic and Europe, and went off on a trip from which she has not yet returned. I wrote this in her honour.

[mid-1995?]

If only we had a thousand ships to sail upon the Western seas,
If only we had some sailor boys who wouldn’t stop to pack,
For the loveliest lass in all the land has caught the wanderlust disease;
If only we had a thousand ships we’d go and get her back.

They call the lady Tangles, ‘though her name’s a tangle and then some more.
She’s small and slight and sweetly shaped and pretty as the moon.
She’s stolen hearts in every place from Bacchus Woods to Ynys Fawr,
And now she’s off to steal some more, she’s not returning soon.

Her hair’s a golden sunset red, her eyes are wild and honey bright.
Her voice a choir of angels could, with effort, imitate.
And should the oldest, greyest priest, with manner stiff and habit white,
Perceive the lady walking by, he’ll curse his vows too late.

So all you kings and princes there, in foreign lands under foreign skies,
Be gentle with our lady and be careful for her health,
For if even a single copper hair should come to harm, by Mary’s eyes…
Well, she’s a Lochac fighter so she’ll deal with you herself!

And I’d reckon we’d need a thousand ships to sail upon the Western seas,
I’d reckon we’d need some sailor boys who wouldn’t stop to pack.
For the loveliest lass in all the land has caught the wanderlust disease,
I’d reckon we’d need a thousand ships to go and get her back!