4 O'Clock on Thursdays

©Ken Stephens

At 4 o'clock on Thursdays, you can hear the siren sound,
The Lavender ship lets the shore lines go, for she is outward bound,
Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Dar Es Salaam,
Past Horta and Madeira, through Atlantic storms and calm.

She's always on a schedule, never losing time,
Till the siren sounds at 4 o'clock when the bells begin to chime.

"Oh God our help in ages past" you can hear the town clock play,
As the ship glides past the Royal Pier and goes upon her way,
Red Funnel and Alexandra tugs assist while she's confined,
But her crew are proud she's an ocean ship of the Union Castle line.

She's always on a schedule, never losing time,
Till the siren sounds at 4 o'clock when the bells begin to chime.

Lavender hull, white upperworks, funnels red and black,
Red Ensign fluttering at her stern and never showing slack,
Company flag at her masthead with the pilot's own burgee,
Onlookers wave to the crowds on deck of this lady of the sea.

She's always on a schedule, never losing time,
Till the siren sounds at 4 o'clock when the bells begin to chime.

Britain's finest finished products exchanged for fruit and spice,
Gold dust from the Rand fields, peaches, plums and rice,
North British locomotives for copper and silver bars,
Emigrants, colonials and famous movie stars.

She's always on a schedule, never losing time,
Till the siren sounds at 4 o'clock when the bells begin to chime.