Where Taw flows out from Barum Town,
Where Taw flows out to sea,
The bonny boats sail up and down
Upon the Estuary;
They carry—Heaven knows what store—
Past Instow and past Appledore,
With sunburnt jolly men aboard
From Westward Ho and Bideford.

Where Taw flows out from Barum Town,
The full tide brings the sails
Of orange hue or tawny brown
That weather many gales;
And some are white as wind-blown foam
And others red as Devon loam,
With goodly bales they come and go
To Bideford and Westward Ho.

Where Taw flows out from Barum Town
I dearly long to be,
With sails of tangerine and brown
To sail with you to sea.
Who'd care at all if we were poor
At Instow or at Appledore.
We'd sail—so be we could afford—
To Westward Ho and Bideford.