Epistle To Derroll Lyrics - Donovan Leitch

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'n you 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 FlemiSH 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.