Vic Chesnutt
Zippy Morocco

zippy morocco with a hat on his head
set sail for the seven seas
when his mother took to dead

barely out of teenagedom
when his mental map was unfurled
the next thing that he knew
he found himself halfway around the world

with nobody to send exotic postcards to
with nobody to send exotic postcards to

zippy morocco as the admiral of fleet
might've been wet behind the ears
but he certainly was fast on his feet

put down a mutiny at the edge of the earth
he knew the value of the swirling sun
he never overestimated his own worth

it was the grief that whetted his appetite
it was the grief that whetted his appetite

and the waves they do not tell you welcome
and the sand on the shore
does not spell out a hello
salutations they are below the surface
listen to zippy morocco, he says,
"that is what i know"

zippy morocco as the perfect pragmatist
had a hold on the astronomical odds
and he knew what to risk

staked a million on an easterly wind
collected the holy city
now the horse traders come to him

with their beads and cheese and horses
with their beads and cheese and horses