© Gordon Bok
This piece is my attempt to remember of picture a single night of purse-seining for herring off the Maine Coast around (say) 1970.
It begins in the afternoon when the fisherman has finished his 'day job' and is looking at a full night of chasing herring, through to the daylight, when the sardine-carriers are hauling the catch off to the cannery, and he can sort out his gear and go home.
It is mostly conversations. Some I've heard on fishing boats, some on marine radio, some over beers ashore and some imaginary, trying to get into the heads of those whose skill at finding and catching these spooky fish is truly uncanny.
January Men and Then Some
I
Now give me strength at the end of the day
out on the deep
O give me strength to go back on the water
down in the dark of the moon
Out on the deep, out on the deep
Out on the wild old ocean
O give me fishes to soothe my sorrows
out on the deep
O give me darkness to soothe my herring
down in the dark of the moon
Out on the deep, out on the deep
Out on the wild old ocean
For there's snow, lord, there's snow on the wind
out on the deep
Snow on the wind before morning
down in the haul of the tide
Out on the deep, out on the deep
Out on the wild old ocean
And there's wind, lore, there's wind before morning
out on the deep
Wind on the cold tide coming
down in the haul of the tide
Out on the deep, out on the deep
Out on the wild old ocean
O give us one more morning
II
Somewhere out there I know they're traveling
bring them to me
Somewhere out there I know they're rising
bring them to me
Somewhere out there I feel them gathering
bring them to me
Oh, boys – easy! easy
Haul out your rings now easy
Roll them out easy easy
Come on around them easy
Circle all round them easy
III
Come on your purseline bring them to me
Bring them along now bring them to me
Bring'em all of 'em home bring them to me
Ah – come on a rising fire below boys
Coming on silver fire below
Come on a moving fire below
Come on a heaving light the deep (hold 'em)
O set out the light now set out the light
Fire up the ocean light up the deep!
IV
Now, call on the carriers come on the twine
All you little ones, big ones come on the twine
O but come on her easy come on the twine
O come on, Amanda come on the twine
Come on her, Edward come on the twine
Come on her, Grayling come on the twine
Come on her, Ida, come on the twine
Come on her, Jacob, come on the twine
Come on her, Maryanne come on the twine
Come on her, Muriel come on the twine
O come on, Amanda call on the boats now
come on the twine
Come on her, Edward come 'round the islands
come on the twine
Come on her, Grayling O mind all the hardware
come on the twine
Come on her, Ida come take up your corkline
come on the twine
Come on her, Jacob O come on her easy
come on the twine
Come on her, Maryanne come lay out your hoses
come on the twine
Come on her, Muriel I got a thousand hogshead!
come on the twine
V
Now their salt is all down and their hoses are in
And their baskets are full and their hatches are on
So they let go the twine and they kick themselves clear
And they slide up the bay and they're headed for hom
So we clear up the gear and we sort out the twine
And we string out the boats and we head for the barn
And it's home, home, home…
VI
O hey, she's making day!
VII
Somewhere out there I know they're traveling
bring them to me
Somewhere out there I know they're rising
bring them to me
Somewhere out there I feel them gathering
bring them to me… O
O give me one night's hauling
out on the deep
O let me see them rising
down in the cold dark sea
Out on the deep out on the deep
Out on the wild old ocean
O give us one more morning
Then will we lay this season down
One More Morning is recorded on the album Herrings in the Bay