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Pirate Silver, Devil’s Flame
- Pirate Silver, Devil’s Flame -
Off the starboard bow, there was an isle black as sin,
Where many a wrecked vessel lay, in graves silently!
I saw the fire at the isle’s heart, and what lay within…
But dare not put to words the sight, or give it dignity.
Was it Hell I beheld, when I seized the silvery hoard?
Nay, but there were many devils we slew to claim it!
The lads made fast to place the ancient riches aboard,
And now we sail for port and home, with hearty wit…
But lo, for there the lookout spies another ship, ahoy!
And there upon it, are the souls of those we just slew.
Pirates wickeder than we, now preparing a wily ploy,
And we sail like the damned, who boil in fiery stew…
Trying to show them our broadsides, cannons loaded.
We blast their hull but the wood repairs itself sudden,
And we spy many a dead sailor aboard, pale, bloated!
They prepare to board us: flesh wet and hair sodden…
As if crawled from the seas wherein we cast them all.
The Devil’s flame within each man’s eyes all blazing,
My own mad crew made ready to face a deadly call…
Whilst two vessels met, timbers cracking, seas raging.
*******
Those ghostly pirates clashed steel with our cutlasses!
But their sabers only passed through ours as if fading,
Into some other realm, of damnation, or blessedness…
And then they were gone, their empty vessel awaiting.
Aye, they would have slain us to the last if they could,
But the dead do not always possess the power to slay!
And so we boarded their ship that stank of old wood…
Seeking any treasure, or fairer game on which to prey.
But no sooner had we set foot upon the rotting planks,
Than we passed through the craft, to fall into the sea…
Whilst no craft drifted there, damn all ghostly pranks!
Soon we climbed back aboard our own ship, valiantly.
But we discovered that the ghosts took back the silver,
And so the dead had the last laugh, whilst we got wet.
The barkeep would chuckle at our tale, blast his liver!
So we sailed back to civilization, knowing dark regret.
Had we imagined all that came to pass, since the isle?
Nay, for what should I find within my cabin just then,
But half of the silver we had claimed; oh, I did smile!
I would still be a rich fellow, after I had paid the men.
Off the starboard bow, there was an isle black as sin,
Where many a wrecked vessel lay, in graves silently!
I saw the fire at the isle’s heart, and what lay within…
But dare not put to words the sight, or give it dignity.
Was it Hell I beheld, when I seized the silvery hoard?
Nay, but there were many devils we slew to claim it!
The lads made fast to place the ancient riches aboard,
And now we sail for port and home, with hearty wit…
But lo, for there the lookout spies another ship, ahoy!
And there upon it, are the souls of those we just slew.
Pirates wickeder than we, now preparing a wily ploy,
And we sail like the damned, who boil in fiery stew…
Trying to show them our broadsides, cannons loaded.
We blast their hull but the wood repairs itself sudden,
And we spy many a dead sailor aboard, pale, bloated!
They prepare to board us: flesh wet and hair sodden…
As if crawled from the seas wherein we cast them all.
The Devil’s flame within each man’s eyes all blazing,
My own mad crew made ready to face a deadly call…
Whilst two vessels met, timbers cracking, seas raging.
*******
Those ghostly pirates clashed steel with our cutlasses!
But their sabers only passed through ours as if fading,
Into some other realm, of damnation, or blessedness…
And then they were gone, their empty vessel awaiting.
Aye, they would have slain us to the last if they could,
But the dead do not always possess the power to slay!
And so we boarded their ship that stank of old wood…
Seeking any treasure, or fairer game on which to prey.
But no sooner had we set foot upon the rotting planks,
Than we passed through the craft, to fall into the sea…
Whilst no craft drifted there, damn all ghostly pranks!
Soon we climbed back aboard our own ship, valiantly.
But we discovered that the ghosts took back the silver,
And so the dead had the last laugh, whilst we got wet.
The barkeep would chuckle at our tale, blast his liver!
So we sailed back to civilization, knowing dark regret.
Had we imagined all that came to pass, since the isle?
Nay, for what should I find within my cabin just then,
But half of the silver we had claimed; oh, I did smile!
I would still be a rich fellow, after I had paid the men.
Published 24th Feb 2019
Author's Note
This poem of mine is one in a series of Pirate-themed poetry that I wrote years ago, filled with all of the usual power and passion of my various other writings. Some of these are fictional, and some are not.
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
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