Epistle to Derroll

Come all you starry starfish - living in the deep blue sea

Crawl to me I have a 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 spokesmen should

If'n you met our fee then certainly we would

Should you cast a looking glass upon the scalloped sand

You'll have word word of this Banjo Man with the tattoo on his hand

Oh come you starry starfish - I know your ways are caped

Maybe it's because you'r astrologically shaped

Converse with the herring shoals as I know you can

Bring me word of the Banjo Man with the 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 stars are fooling you about your Banjo man

Oh 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 the Banjo Man

All through the seven oceans I am a star most famed

Many leggies have I lost an 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's porthole

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 the tattooed hand

Gladly would I come - O gladly would I go

Had I not my work to do and my face to show

And I rejoice to hear he's well but I must go inland

Thank you for the words you brought of my 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