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‘This is the Sea’ © 1985 Dizzy Heights Music Publ Ltd/Chrysalis Music
‘A Pagan Place’ © 1983 Dizzy Heights Music Publ Ltd/Chrysalis Music
‘Bess, you is my woman now’ © 1935
Gershwin Publ Corp/Chappell Music Ltd
Sex Wax ® is Mr Zog’s registered trade mark
Surfers Against Sewage (Campaigning for the benefit
of all recreational water users), The Old Counthouse,
Wheal Kitty, St Agnes, Cornwall TR5 0RE

First published by Hodder and Stoughton Limited in 1994
This edition published by Alma Books Limited in 2012
Copyright © Peter Benson, 1994

Peter Benson asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Cover image © Evelyn McGeever

Printed in Great Britain

Typesetting and eBook design by Tetragon

ISBN: 978-1-8468-8195-4
eBook ISBN: 978-1-8468-8224-1

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not be resold, lent, hired out or otherwise circulated without the express prior consent of the publisher.

Contents

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19

These things you keep
you better throw them away
turn your back
on your soulless days
once you were tethered
now you are free
once you were tethered
now you are free
that was the river
this is the sea.

Mike Scott