Retreat without a sound
Spinning Islands
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I am going down to the Florida Keys,
Where hurricanes abound,
Spinning islands like a string of pearls,
Wind sweeping waves into the sound.
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Mangroves and hardwood hammocks,
Encircling the reef periphery,
Moonshine turning turquoise tides,
A wind quartet in lunar synchrony.
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I am not searching for sunken treasure,
In the deep blue depths, divers plumb.
I am looking for seashells that sparkle,
Along the shifting beaches, I comb,
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We could share a pail of whelks and cowries,
That drift in with the evening tide,
Gaze into conches and mother of pearl mollusks,
Discovering the sea, side by side.
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Lyrics and music – Sandy Ross Bender, June 14, 2026
Going to sea
William and Polly*
Sweet William went to Polly,
To give her to understand,
That he had to go and leave her,
To go to a foreign land.
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O stay at home, Sweet William,
O stay at home, said she,
O stay at home, Sweet William,
And do not go to sea.
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My king doth give command, my love,
And I am bound to go;
And if it were to save my life,
I dare not answer No.
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My yellow hair I wll cut off,
Men’s clothing I’ll put on;
Like a true and faithful servant,
It’s you I’ll wait upon.
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The men do lie a-bleeding there,
The bullets swiftly fly,
And the silver trumpets a-sounding,
To drown the dismal cry.
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O tell me not of danger,
For God will be my guide;
And I value not no danger,
When William’s by my side.
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O Polly, dearest Polly,
These words have gained my heart,
And we will have a wedding,
Before we ever part.
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This couple they got married,
And William’s gone to sea,
And Polly she’s a waiting,
All in their own country.
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*“William and Polly” text from book titled “80 Appalachian Folk Songs” collected by Cecil Sharp & Maud Karpeles, 1968. Chord progression transposed and loosely based on guitar accompaniment notation.
Our gallant ship
*Oh, the stormy winds do blow
With the landlubbers down below,
And the sailor-men a-climbing to the top
To haul in the riggin’-o.
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“Twas Sunday night, our sails were set,
We hardly cleared the land-o,
When we spied a mermaid-a-swimmin’ by,
A comb and a glass in her hand-o.
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The captain plumbed with a lead and a line,
He plumbed for to reach the sand-o,
While the wind and the waves did toss and roar,
We knew we’d never see land-o.
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Then three times ’round went our gallant ship.
And three times more went she,
And the mate and the cabin boy said goodbye
As we sank in the salt, salt sea,
As we sank in the salt, salt sea.
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*Traditional ballad called “The Mermaid” was ccollected and compiled as No. 62 B by John Jacob Niles. Original musical arangement was composed for voice, concertina, clarinet, and guitar and performed by Sanford Ross Bender.
A chance encounter
Cove near Owls Head Light, Maine
Royal sunset & Fountain of innocence
Two dancing pigs
“Two Dancing Pigs” was improvised by playing harmonica and guitar simultaneously. Any discomfort in physically managing two instruments was alleviated through closed-eye visualization of two dancing pigs squealing with delight in each other’s company. The artwork is a detail of the pastel drawing used in my previous post, “The Listening Drum.” Looking closer allows one to see two dark pig-like shapes appear (among other creatures such as a spider, a bat, or a raven’s tail). Perhaps, rainbow colored waves are perceived as dancing while the pig duo floats and soars overhead in sea spray and thermal undulations. A colorful drawing appearing to depict a single slice in time awakens and sequentially shape-shifts to melodic rhythms of musical joy.
You can find “Two Dancing Pigs” and other pieces on Sandy Bender’s album Terrain.