Chord Lock-keeper by Stan Rogers

lock - keeper stan rogers album : from fresh water 1984 E you say , "well - met again , lock - keeper! C#m B A we’re laden even deeper that the time before F#m B E oriental oils and tea brought down from singapore . " E as we wait for my lock to cycle C#m B A i say , "my wife has just given me a son . " F#m B E "a son!" you cry , "is that all that you’ve done?" she wears bougainvillea blossoms you pluck ’em from her hair and toss ’em in the tide , sweep her in your arms and carry her inside . her sighs catch on your shoulder her moonlit eyes grow bold and wiser through her tears and i say , "how could you stand to leave her for a year?" chorus : A F#m "then come with me" you say , "to where the southern cross B E rides high upon your shoulder . " C#m B "come with me!" you cry , A F#m B "each day you tend this lock , you’re one day older C#m B A B while your blood grows colder . " E but that anchor chain’s a fetter C#m B A and with it you are tethered to the foam F#m B E and i wouldn’t trade your life for one hour of home . sure i’m stuck here on the seaway while you compensate for leeway through the trades; and you shoot the stars to see the miles you’ve made . and you laugh at hearts you’ve riven , but which of these has given us more love or life , you , your tropic maids , or me , my wife . chorus ah your anchor chain’s a fetter and with it you are tethered to the foam , and i wouldn’t trade your whole life for one hour of home . enjoy! chords are easier transposed to D , capo 2 , dropped D tuning optional . all songs from stan’s first four albums are tabbed in "songs from fogarty’s cove" , but do not include anything from subsequent posthumous albums .