Wild Goose

'Wild Goose' is a sea chantey, that some say has political overtones; the implication being that the 17th century Irish patriots who fled their country to take service with foreign kings were known as 'Wild Geese.'

But the song is also a subtle joke on the sailor's difficulty in luring pretty young women. The wild goose is a fresh water bird and would not be seen flying over the ocean for any extended period of time.

When we were in Anchorage last month, a flock of wild geese flew in and landed on a portion of Cook Inlet, behind our hotel. We were walking after dinner, and loved the sight, and sounds of the birds honking in the twilight. I sang this song to them, and as I sang, they stopped honking and listened. As soon as I finished, the honking resumed! I repeated this several times, and each time they would quiet down during the song. It was amazing!