His life doth wax and wane with the willful and wanton waves

A moonlit night, the sea is smooth as the ship sails lightly across the brine.
Its destination, a land slowly appearing through the haze of shimmering waves.
A young sailor stands atop the bow to gaze off into the sparkling night.
The breeze lifts his dark, salty locks and fills his heart with might.
His life doth wax and wane with the willful and wanton waves.

And lo! A voice he hears from below?-a voice he surely knows!
Down from the deep and bitter brine, the voice sings out to him;
"My love, I'm here. I wait for thee beneath the deep and beautiful sea.
Thrice you've declared your love, now cast aside your soul and swim to me!"
His life doth wax and wane with the willful and wanton waves.

The man calls back from safe on the deck to the voice that comes to him,
"Alas, my darling, I have to confessed a love so deep as bone,
But also have I told ye of the doe-eyed lass who waits for me,
Beyond the dark and beautiful sea that bears my unborn child unlike thee."
His life doth wax and wane with the willful and wanton waves.

Upon the deck beside the man lands a girl, her fishtail blinding jade, and skin, pink pearl
Emerald hair and diamond eyes with lips of ruby strained into a scowl
"And so you choose her instead of me, is that truly what I am to thee?
Since to me you gave your truest love, I shall choose what now will be!"
His life doth wax and wane with the willful and wanton waves.

And the hand he reaches out to her, she presses against her heart
And to his horror he feels no beat, just echoes of his ocean deep.
And as his eyes grow wide with terror and hers turn black with pain,
She drags him from the deck and leaves a salty stain.
His life doth wax and wane with the willful and wanton waves.

The ship reaches shore at dawn and the crew steps off the plank;
Their homecoming downcast with the loss of their young first mate.
And on the dock stands a doe-eyed lass with an infant in her arms.
Her eyes brim over with salty tears, knowing her love had come to harm.
She smiles, sadly saying, "His life doth wax and wane with the willful and wanton waves."