Tag Archives: marooned

December 1, 2014

The Pirate

	The Pirate
241	A pirate washed upon the shore,
	bedraggled, sore, and drenched,
	so weak he couldn’t lift an arm
	as crabs pinched at his flesh.
245	One day ago he was a king.
	Men feared him ‘cross the sea –
	a pirate known as much for pride
	as for his endless greed.
	That man had captured twenty ships.
250	He’d never known defeat.
	At ports the singers knew his name;
	at court they rued his deeds.
	And then one day he glimpsed a craft
	through his old telescope,
255	He could have fled or just stayed still.
	He didn’t have to row.
	This tory ship was on his turf,
	he couldn’t lose control,
	then no one would respect his name.
260	There’d be no stories told.
	So onward rowed his pirate ship
	against the tranquil sea.
	Attack! Attack! Blow all the horns!
	“Now gather arms ‘round me!
265	My name is Eric Gunderson.
	The battles I have won
	have made me rich beyond compare!
	Now rich you will become!”
	His men cheered loudly at his brag.
270	They rallied to his call,
	and armed from toe to belt to teeth
	stood ready for the brawl.
	The distance ‘tween the barges shrank.
	Both captains loaded guns.
275	At once the world falls deathly still.
	Then silence comes undone!
	The screams of dying men float up
	amidst the blinding smoke.
	The ocean roars as waves assail
280	the desperate tussling boats.
	And time moves quick, yet stands so still
	as sailors drown and die,
	but soon the battle starts to turn.
	A victor starts to rise.
285	It’s Eric, once again on top!
	He claims his twenty-first!
	He watches as his prize sinks down,
	and booty is submersed.
	His crew watch, too, with avarice,
290	they think about that gold –
	So wet, and far below the sea…
	And all of them turn bold.
	So captain lies upon a beach
	alone, and scarce alive.
295	He failed to steal the promised wealth,
	and thus he took a dive.
	Now Eric wakes, and looks about.
	He smiles at his state.
	That’s twenty-one, and he survived!
300	So doomed, but oh so great!