Pirates

Life at sea in the age of sail
was hard for the common man,
harsh discipline bad food and sickness
was as much as they could stand.

Many of them, given half a chance
struck out on their own as pirates,
this desperate bid for survival and wealth
branded them as tyrants.

With no family and no prospects
this bothered them not at all,
what they had to anticipate
was their fair share of the haul.

These men were bold with hearts dead cold
as they prowled the bounding main,
evoking fear and many a tear
at the mention of their name.

Sky so blue o're the hungry crew
as they closed in on their prey,
with lust for gold and blood untold
eagerly awaiting the fray.

A peaceful merchant vessel
suited their talents the best,
quick and easy plunder
with no dangerous contest.

But Royal Navy warships
dispatched to hunt them down
reminded them of what they left
and why they hated to be found.

Because that meant pitched battle
often ending in death,
if not by sword or musket ball
then by hanging above the deck.

No, pirates did not live long lives
but enjoyed them while they lasted,
always pushing the envelope
one way or another getting blasted.

When spending life upon the sea
weather was often the foe,
few things frightened them as much
as a violent stormy blow.

So when skies darkened and winds picked up
they cast a wary eye
at conditions above and that's because
their fate came from the sky.

Watching thunderheads pile up
and whitecaps throwing spray
struck fear into the hardest heart
and tempted some to pray.

The howling gale tore at the sail
as the crewmen clung to the mizzen,
stung by the rain they invoked the name
of whatever God would listen.

One was a Muslim one was a Jew
but mostly they were pagan,
very few Christians on that crew
hoping there was no hell to take them.

Not sure if this was punishment
for lives of murder and plunder,
terror clutched at hearts like a claw
with the next great clap of thunder.

For with it arose a towering wave
one like they' had never seen,
grown and hardened men did quail
some were heard to scream.

When the onrushing wall of water collapsed
it nearly sank the ship,
making them cling as tight as they could
so as not to lose their grip.

Washed over the side some of them died
in the foaming water below,
when the wave had passed some of them laughed
as they stubbornly would not let go.

To their surprise they were still alive
but there were many more waves to come,
they needed to be strong and keep holding on
'cause there was nowhere else to run.

Living aboard a pirate ship
made it their only home,
well defended and hard to find
with the entire world to roam.

Thought of as brigands and cut throats
they still were a disciplined crew,
teamwork was the only way
as all among them knew.

Legendary fame was theirs to claim
with short harsh lives at sea,
leaving their mark on seafarer's hearts
in the age of piracy.


by Robert Quinn
all rights reserved