Drifting Down

You are drift­ing far from shore

Leaning on an idle oar

You are drift­ing

slow­ly drift­ing

Drifting down;

You are drift­ing with the tide

To the ocean wild and wide

You are drift­ing

slow­ly drift­ing

Drifting down.

You are drift­ing down

Drifting down

To the dark and aw­ful sea;

You are drift­ing down

From a Fa­ther’s lov­ing care

To the black­ness of des­pair

You are drift­ing

slow­ly drift­ing

Drifting down.

Lights up­on the home­land shore

Give you warn­ing o’er and o’er

You are drift­ing

slow­ly drift­ing

Drifting down;

Soon be­yond the har­bor bar

Will your boat be car­ried far

You are drift­ing

slow­ly drift­ing

Drifting down.

Voices from the home­land shore

Fainter grow as they im­plore

You are drift­ing

slow­ly drift­ing

Drifting down;

O my bro­ther

do not wait;

Heed them ere it be too late

Ere for­ev­er you have drift­ed

Drifted down.