Four Black Dragons

I was standing on the beach
Near the cliffs of Oshima
I was spreading out the nets
For the morning sun
It was early in July
And the day was getting hot
And I stopped to wipe my eyes
And by accident I turned
And looked out to sea

And there came
Breaking through the mist
Roaring through the sea
Four black dragons
Spitting fire

And I ran
Cursing through the fields
Calling the alarm
Shouting to the world
"Four black dragons
Spitting fire!"

And the earth trembled
And the sky cracked
And I thought it was the end of the world

I was rifling through the house
Of some priests
In Uraga
It was only after dawn
They were sleeping still
I had finished with the silks
I was hunting for the gold
When I heard them getting up
So I bolted through a door
Which looked out to sea

And there came
And there came
Breaking through the mist
Boiling through the mist
Roaring through the sea
Rising from the sea

Four black dragons
Four volcanoes
Spitting fire
Spitting fire!

And I ran
And I ran
Cursing down the halls
Cursing through the fields
Shouting to the priests
Shouting to the world

"Notify the gods!
Four black dragons
Spitting fire!"

And the feet pattered
As the men came down to stare
And the women started screaming like the gulls
Hai! Hai!

And they crowded into temples
And they flapped about the square
Hai!
Like the gulls
Hai!
Hai! Hai!
Four black dragons
Spitting fire!

Then the hooves clattered
And the warriors were there
Diving quickly through the panic
Like the gulls
Hai! Hai!

And the swords were things of beauty
As they glided through the air
Hai!
Like the gulls
Hai!
Hai! Hai!
Four black dragons
Spitting fire!

And the sun darkened (I had seen)
And the sea bubbled (dragons before)
And the earth trembled (never so many)
And the sky cracked (never like these)
And I thought it was the end
Of the world

And it was