Tape the Broken Line

[Intro] [Verse 1] The night crossing rolled beneath my boots Salt ran cold through the engine-room seams A hairline split in the starboard fuel line Sprayed black pearls across the gauge-lit steel I clamped my palm against the shuddering pipe Found the tape by the flashlight beam The deck pitched hard; i braced my shoulder While the bridge came barking through the speaker [Chorus] Hold this course, hold this fire Keep her turning through the black water Tape it tight, keep the pressure alive We’re not giving this crossing away I hear the bridge call, “push her faster” I hear the hull answer under my feet With one hand sealed to the broken line I keep the engines carrying us home [Verse 2] The beam shook loose across the wet deck plates My glove went slick; the tape held fast The needle climbed, then steadied one mark As waves leaned heavy against the hull “Bring her up,” the radio insisted I counted each knock in the pipe One more wrap, then another pulled tight I watched the leak shrink down to a thread [Chorus] Hold this course, hold this fire Keep her turning through the black water Tape it tight, keep the pressure alive We’re not giving this crossing away I hear the bridge call, “push her faster” I hear the hull answer under my feet With one hand sealed to the broken line I keep the engines carrying us home [Guitar solo] [Chorus] Hold this course, hold this fire Keep her turning through the black water Tape it tight, keep the pressure alive We’re not giving this crossing away I hear the bridge call, “push her faster” I hear the hull answer under my feet With one hand sealed to the broken line I keep the engines carrying us home [Outro] The radio fades; the pressure holds Dawn finds the tape still wrapped in place