Donovan - 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 you met our fee then, certainly we would
If you cast a looking glass, upon the scalloped 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 it's because you're 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
Youthful as you are young man, you have a wisdom eye
Surely you must know a looking glass is made from sand?
These young fish 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