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Haul Away Joe (A ‘See’ Shanty for Pride ’25)

How do we remember to breathe, to sow, to sing in the dark times?

Friends, this is (y)our cordial invitation to:

​Seeds & ‘See’ Shanties: How we Sing & Sow in the Dark Times

Thank you to our friends at Discover Cayuga Lake who so generously invited us to dream up an offering to share with our community on a free sunset cruise on Cayuga lake so we could said / sang:

Sow Seeds + Sing Songs!

So yes, let’s sing, savor the sunset & receive the gift of summer succession sowing seeds as we cultivate community and resist despair, Friends! We’ll sing traditional sea shanties as well as new lyrics to old tunes sailing each other toward more silly, loving & liberatory lands…

…if you’d love to join us next time, hop on our email list to receive updates for our gatherings as well as weekly stories of gardens and growing gift culture 💛

Lyrics for Haul Away Joe

re-imagined for Pride 2025

Once I went to Stonewall / there was a little riot

Way haul away, haul away Joe

We’ve tasted liberation / and no we won’t be quiet

Way haul away, haul away Joe

Chorus:

Way HO! Haul away / love and haul forever

Way haul away, haul away Joe

Way HO! Haul away / turning tides for better

Way haul away, haul away Joe

Everything is change, YES! / we’re changing every day

Way haul away, haul away Joe

We’ve come so far, survived so much / we will find a way

Way haul away, haul away Joe

Chorus

Thank you for shining, Friends / we’ll shine on forever

Way haul away, haul away Joe

We are the rainbows / after stormy weather

Way haul away, haul away Joe

Chorus

The Birth of ‘See’ Shanties

Summer solstice arrived as my mother and I explored the Delaware shore, searching for brown-headed nuthatch and horseshoe crabs, our mouths full of high bush blueberries, first cicadas raucous.

Quite by chance we stumbled into an outdoor sea shanty singalong with dozens of people laughing as they deliciously harmonized. We very nearly shouted each exuberant chorus and roared for the next song and the next.

Looking out at the sea of smiling faces, I thought to myself:

If these songs brought us across oceans, for better and for tender, might they bring us to the next shore together, more loving, compassionate and adaptive?

Playing with lyrics to reflect, grieve, grow and celebrate, ‘See’ Shanties were born!

Less rum…

…and more resilience!

Thanks for singing along…

…and for making up the next generation of songs to cross oceans literal and cultural 💛

Sow Seeds, Sing Songs & Let’s Sail,

Sow Seeds & Sing Songs,

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& the Many Possibilities of Fruition

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