Inky was an octopus in the National Aquarium
But did you know he was born at sea?
Some fishermen they found him on the reef
And he was injured
So they took him in to shore for recovery

The big glass tank where he splashed down
Was full of fish and friends around
Crowds of children to visit every day
Every night when the lights went out
All that Inky thought about
Was making his great octopus escape

Inky schemed and plotted
Nine brains, three hearts set on it
Til the keeper made one small mistake

Then Inky made a break for it
The sea, the free, the open air
The call of the tide
The lure of the ocean wide
Inky found the opening
The way the truth the key to life
Escape back to the sea
And maybe he sang

Bye bye aquarium
I’m gonna do a little more adventuring
Bye bye glass walls
I need a bigger life I want it all
So I gotta be brave
I gotta be brave

The keeper left the lid ajar
And that’s how inky seized his chance
Cos octopus are not like you and me
They don’t have our solid bones
They can squeeze and wriggle home
Through tiny cracks and pipes out to the sea
And that’s how

Inky made a break for it
The sea, the free, the open air
The call of the tide
The lure of the ocean wide
Inky found the opening
The way the truth the key to life
Escape back to the sea
And maybe he sang

Bye bye aquarium
I’m gonna do a little more adventuring
Bye bye glass walls
I need a bigger life I want it all
Bye bye little fishies
I’d love to take you with me
But you gotta be brave (ah ah ah)
You gotta be brave (ah ah ah)

Inky was an octopus
Who made the headlines round the world
The marvellous great octopus escape
If they ever make the movie
‘Finding Inky’ - I’ll go see it
For this story is my favourite escapade

Every drain leads to the ocean
Every river flows to the sea
Every drain leads to the ocean
Every river flows to the sea
Every drain leads to the ocean
Every river flows to the sea
Every drain leads to the ocean
Every river flows to the sea


© Claudia Robin Gunn