Journey On

It's an honor to go on an expedition with you
Admiral Peary
It's men like you who've made this country great.
It's men like you who'll keep it great
All sails set, Admiral
Thank you, Mr. Henson
This is my First Officer, Mr.
Matthew Henson
Good evening
Welcome aboard.
What's that? In the distance? Such a ghostly glow.

They're called rag ships
Immigrants from every cesspool in Western and Eastern Europe
Most of them become very
Patriotic Americans
They're your future customers
My people were also brought here on ships
Good watch, Henson
You're a brave man, whoever you are
Coming so far, expecting so much.

A salute to the man
On the deck of that ship!
A salute to the immigrant stranger
Heaven knows why you's make
Such a terrible trip
May your own god protect you from danger
Is it freedom or love
That you pray for
In you guttural accent?
Too late, long gone
A salute to a fellow
Who hasn't a chance
Journey on.

If people ask, how old are you?
I don't answer.
Your name?
No name
Where your mother is?
Dead
This is my father
He speaks fo both of us.

This is my father
He speaks for both of us
Is that other ship going back home?
No, no. America is our home now
America is our shtetl
Amekhaye khlebn
Look. Someone is waving. Where is he going?
He's a fool on a fool's journey.

You depart on a ship
From a country like this
Why on earth would you want to
Be leaving?
was it something you lost
That you suddenly miss?
Are you angry
Or possibly
Grieving?
Do you see in my face
What you've lost, sir?
Are you moved by the death ship
We sail upon?
Well, perhaps you're a man
Who's in search of his heart
Journey on
Journey on.

Two ships passing
In the kinship
Of the darkness
One going from
One coming to
America.

Two men meeting
At the moment
Of a journey
For a moment
In the darkness
We're the same.

And what of the people
Whose boundaries chafe
I salute you
My friend
Who marry so bravely
And end up so safe?

May you
Find what
You need.

I will be journeyin
Here, my love
As you go
As you go
As you go
Journeying
Journeying
Journeying
On the sea
On the sea
On the sea.

We're two ships passing
At a distance
Through the darkness
One going from...
One coming to...
...America.

Strangers sharing
The beginnings
Of a journey.

I salute you!
God be with you!
I will miss you
In the Darkness
Of the dawn
Journey on!