Event DreadPoet Storytime -- Official Story Thread

Dread Poet Roberts

Honorable Pirate
This is the Official DreadPoet Story Time Thread that the Story tellers will post their stories after the Bi-weekly StoryTelling Event has taken place. This is a companion thread to the DreadPoet Storytime Calendar of events that can be found here:

https://piratesforums.co/threads/dreadpoet-story-time-calendar-and-locations-thread.16178/


Please follow both threads to be alerted when the next DreadPoet Story Time is, and the stories of the story tellers.

--DreadPoetRoberts

:swashbuckler:
 
Homecoming
--Presented by Dread Poet Roberts on 1/2/2017 at DreadPoet Storytime


Homecoming



The sands, oh the familiar crusted coral sands, crunch beneath my trodden feet

Lunge ashore in the curling surf

Etching rum glass

Carelessly discarded in my youth

Now lie broken in the waves

My Nevis birthplace abandoned for greater adventure far across the sea

These stones rise to a happy memory

A time so long ago

Bringing me home



At once familiar and foreign

The land remains post card still

Bending the branches of my memories

Fragrant ginger cakes on a sun-warmed sill

Now fall silent

Her blazing stars untended and unkempt

And plucking memorialized her passage



The scene has changed, or has it not

For in my memories I have forgot

Simple joy of a summer day

The round faced lads trundle at play

Gone too soon

A son’s lament

A man’s obligation

Return to the path of his original destination




Gather round my friends and let me begin


Of a tale so wrought with sorrow


Standing here among the gold piles


Unable to take till morrow


Hiding in shadows I see the gleam


Of moonlight through cavern door


The Cursed monkey the guardian


Of loot spilled on the floor


Taunting me with every screech and howl


He knows me fast it’s true


Yet camouflaged invisible


I bide my time with you.


For on that first moon


Of the most fallow year


Barbossa sets sail to replenish his stores anew


That is my moment


To plunder him as he has plundered me


His gold


My gold


The same as same can be




By my own hand I gathered it up


In Aztec Spanish land


Raiding a seaside settlement


The terror at my command


No sooner did I sail a burgeoning


That I was set upon by Barbossa’s crew


My ship and stores acquired


Strapped me to a yew


Tall and stout


I floated for a week of days


The sun baking with rays


My skin a patch of reddish purple blue


Till Tortuga I washed ashore


I go a plotting


Plotting


For I can see the torches of his hideout


Glow flame with flickering pitch


Ten score days till the hunting


Of which I shall return


To claim that which I have artfully stolen


The gold in my pockets earn


For this day my mates you find me


Among the spoils


This is the summit of my toils


And take with you but a care


Borrow not more than a trifle


Or find Barbossa standing there


Blood in his eye


Apple in his bite


Slices you apart with all his might


Flee my friends


Begone by morning light


Or forever you shall remain


In this the golden plight.

 
"Night Boarding" presented by Ben Gone (Old Ben) on 1/2/2017



Night Boarding


Dampness and darkness so cling the night air

Drawing false peace for those who would care

Wavelets do ripple ‘cross the broad beams so fair

A little, fat merchantman better take care


Gentle low rolling swings the deck and the mast

Cradle of solitude for men looking past

The lapping of liquid, a sound that is still

No one has need for a hand on the till


The lantern be lit for a ship that is still

The middle of night, a warm beacon in chill

The crew all asleep in their hammocks, no drill

The sentry on duty, two hours to kill


Mists of the night on watery sheen

Men in small boats with eyes that do glean

Black outlines lining the starry night sky

Cleaving the mists, trying to belie


Black, the seas upon which they do ride

Small dark shapes barely seen; they flow with the tide

These little black shapes will form as they will, to

Little dark boats with a man at the till


Low to the water, in silent-held stealth

All out to plunder the merchantman’s wealth

The light thump of oars being muffled in felt

Nothing held loose, all tied with a welt


Over the bulwarks the silent men go

No need for ladders, the scaling is low

Close to the bulwarks with plain and bare feet

This to ensure of quiet deceit


Up on the aft deck to check for the watch

Eight bells won’t ring, if this be his botch

Better to wait for the half hour to ring

In case anyone’s accustomed to hear that bell sing


Rushing on deck to find hatches below

Seeking the men whose numbers they know

Hammocks sway lightly to the roll of the seas,

“Come on, oh sweet gents, get up if you please”


Muskets pointed at faces that show

The merchant surprised at how little they know

No muskets were fired, no sword singed the air

Little disturbed, no, nary a hair


Captain’s fair quarters the pirates did find

The door swung silent, with hinges grease lined

“Out, dear Captain, we pardon your regret

Don’t get, now, yourself in a very fine fret”


Over the side the merchant men go

Straight to the bottom, just Davy would know

The ship starts to sail away in the sun

A new crew aboard having loads of grim fun
 
A Sea of Solitude presented by Ben Gone at Story Time on 1/16/2017


A Sea of Solitude



One day I came upon the sea

And the restfulness came as a place for me

So warm, so damp, peaceful noise, so soft

As in a cocoon, I felt aloft


So tired in body, so tired in mind

Back to rhythm, elemental lined

The clack of crab, the caw of bird

The water washing the beach; the gird


Oh, to drift with the tides and roll with the sea

And blow with the wind, gently pushed to the lee

I give myself up to the touch and the smell

The sound of it all, clear sight does bode well


Time is not measured, the eternal is sown

The beach is swept clean, clear to the bone

Here is the emptiness of being alone

Of bare open measure, freedom the throne


Ultimate harmony here for to seek

No conflict, no choices, no emotional peak

All thoughts are thus drowned in solitude’s grace

The waves wash the sand of humanity’s trace


A clarity found in this infinite space

A rebirth, a baptism, which won’t erase

Re-awakening thought, inspiration is gleaned

A oneness as wholeness, the lens now is cleaned
 
A Deadman's Surprise presented by Ben Gone at Story Time on 1/30/2017.


Deadman’s Surprise



Across the expanse of an open sea

on a calm and moonless night,

where quiet lapping dulls the sense

and darkness blinds the sight,


The wind was breathing gently

and the sails just snug, not tight.

The lanterns lit to spell the din

and cast a working light.


Flashes arise in distant space,

where a void before was seen,

and silhouette a ship apace

in glowing yellow sheen.


FLASH! FLASH! –in bursts the night lights up

from a battle fortress grand.

The thunder rolls across the span

as cannon take command.


And iron falls short in geyser splash

as seamen find the mark.

With a whistle and scream the ball close in

—barrages in fatal ark.


Savage is the shattering sound

as masts and yardarms crack.

And sails are shred and trail the sea

in a complete and utter sack.


SMASHING the decks and CAVING the hull

—SPLINTERING chaos ‘round.

SHATTERED to kindling, FALLEN to ruin,

a graveyard POMMELED and GROUND.


& - - -


Cast adrift in a shroud of smoke


in the solemn coming dawn.


Only the hush of mornings light


and the cry of sea birds drawn.
 
Watching Hands
--Delivered by Dread Poet Roberts in the Grotto on 1/30/2017

At the Ticking Clock
Watching hands
Ever slower spin round and round
Merging at brief minuet before dancing away
Searching for a new dance partner
Watching hands
Spindle-tall he flits about the circumference
A new dance partner on the 10
Around once more and back again
Re-starting position.

Chiming sounds the tick tock clock
Draws our attention here
Watching Hands
In slow-motion silent fear or trepidation
Digits bleached white in strident anticipation
Watching hands
Wringing hands
Worries of the night.

That which we seek we hope not to find
That in knowing soothes the mind
Allaying not the outcome
Watching hands.

Will we live or shall we die
By the boot step march
Echoing hall to hall
Oaken trees hung with vine
The end arrives too soon
Watching hands

Be we live or be we dead
The thoughts of fear crawl through my head
Permeating the crawls and crevices
The twitches and snitches and core
Fixated ever fixated
A silent click a turning of the lock an open door
and then is heard no more
save the solitary sound
stepping in time
The lovers vertical intertwine
At the Watching Hand
 
The Beginning - Recited by Karlita in the Grotto - January 30, 2017

I landed in Port Royal with a secret in my hand,
A worn out piece of paper the color of sand

I must deliver this to a man called Jack
I be told he was in a tavern, a way in the back

I raced up the hill and down the cobble stones
A glimpse here and there of some sun bleached bones

I spot the sign of a mug hanging from a hook
This must be the place, I no longer need to look

I ran into the tavern, clutching the precious note in my hand
Tis a true honor to meet this ruler of the land


Captain Sparrow sat there with a curious look in his eye
He stood up as he watched me approach. I let out a sigh

So this is the pirate I have heard so much about
He was charming for sure, there was no doubt

The hair on his chin looked like the beard of a goat
I extended my hand to reveal the treasured note

He took the letter from my hand that shook
With a tilt of his head he gave me a sly look

I have many missions you must complete
For you I am sure will be an easy feat

This was the beginning of my life long dream
To become a famous pirate that all will deem

To be worthy, trustful and consider a friend
To help with their troubles and finally mend
 
The Girl Without a Heart

There was once a girl who was born without a heart.
Her father was a man both wealthy and powerful,
so he called for the greatest watch makers, jewelers, and tinkers across all the known world,
and they built for her a little clockwork heart to replace the one she was missing.
It had a beautiful golden face plate with delicate designs
and a tiny opening for the golden key to wind its springs.
And unlike the beating of a regular heart,
if you listened carefully, you could hear the tingling of musical chimes within her chest.
This little girl grew to be a fine young woman.
Everyone loved her, and she was known all across England for her beauty,
clever wit, kindness, and generosity.
/sigh
Now this girl also had an older sister, and she was in no way as gifted or as blessed.
This sister was a terrible, bitter, mean creature, and she was jealous of the girl in every way!
But she was a horrible, hateful person, so I won't speak more about her.
/scared
For now...
One day, the sisters received a letter from their father.
He had traveled to the New World to establish his business,
and at long last, he was calling his daughters across the sea to him.
So they boarded the swiftest ship in London and sailed for Port Royal.
All went well until they reached the Caribbean, which everyone knew was a haven for pirates and monsters.
On the night before they were to arrive, the girls were awoken by alarms. There was gunfire and shouts,
and the roar of cannon rocked their ship!
They were under attack by the dreaded Prince of Pirates!
Swiftly, their ship was subdued, and the girls were brought out.
The pirates took one look at the ugliness of the older sister and immediately sent her away with a shudder.
/fear
But they were in awe of the beauty of the younger sister and brought her before their captain.
At first sight, the dread Pirate Prince fell in love, and he bowed before the girl.
/bow
"If you grant me but a smile," he told her, "I shall release this ship and its crew, untouched."
"If you grant me but a kiss, I shall also return all the treasure I have taken."
"And if I can win your heart, I shall abandon my life as a pirate and make you my wife."
The girl was overjoyed, for she was in love with him as well.
And she gave him a smile.
/smile
And she gave him a kiss.
/sigh
But as she was about to confess her love and give him her heart, cannon rang out!
The pirates turned to see another ship approaching.
It was the warship HMS Colossus!
Dispatched from Port Royal by her father to ensure the safe arrival of his daughters.
The pirates fled, quickly returning to their ship, and the dread Pirate Prince bowed to the girl
and kissed her hand
and swore they would be reunited soon.
As she watched the pirate ship sail away, the girl was both sorrowful and overjoyed.
Sorrowful to be separated from her love so quickly.
/sad
Joyful because she knew that separation was only temporary.
/sigh
But little did she know that her jealous sister had been listening at a port hole and had heard the whole thing!
/hiss
The girls arrived safely in Port Royal and were reunited with their father.
/celebrate
They wept as they embraced and shared many stories.
Their father confessed that his reason for traveling to the Caribbean was not for business.
He had searched the sea for the greatest users of voodoo power and expended all of his wealth and influence
to at long last find a cure for his youngest daughter.
He was now able to give her a true heart.
Hearing this was just too much for the wicked older sister.
/crazy
Her younger sister was prettier, smarter, more popular than her.
She was better in every way except for her missing heart, and now her father was taking that away too!
He was going to make her perfect!
/hiss
She became so jealous and angry, that she confessed everything.
She told their father about the Prince of Pirates and of the marriage pact her sister had made.
She had agreed to be the love of the worst pirate of all!
And to leave her family forever!
Their father was overwhelmed by grief and anger, and without thinking, he expended all of his voodoo power,
granting the gift to his eldest daughter rather than his youngest, and she used that gift to have the one thing she had always wanted...
The ability to hurt her younger sister.
She was transformed into a great black seagull.
Tying the golden key to her leg, their father threw open the windows, and the big black bird flew into the night sky.
The younger sister was destroyed, and she fled the mansion in tears, never to return.
The father died soon after, alone, penniless, powerless, and broken hearted.
The girl found her Pirate Prince waiting for her on the beach, and weeping she fell into his arms.
The prince sailed away with his bride, but their happiness was short-lived.
Without the key, her heart slowly wound down
until it stopped entirely.
And so she lay in her cabin, not asleep and not alive.
And the Prince of Pirates sailed the seas, forever scanning the horizon with his glass, not for prizes or plunder,
/search
but for just a glimpse of the bird with the key to his bride's heart.
/bow
 
The Girl Without a Heart

There was once a girl who was born without a heart.
Her father was a man both wealthy and powerful,
so he called for the greatest watch makers, jewelers, and tinkers across all the known world,
and they built for her a little clockwork heart to replace the one she was missing.
It had a beautiful golden face plate with delicate designs
and a tiny opening for the golden key to wind its springs.
And unlike the beating of a regular heart,
if you listened carefully, you could hear the tingling of musical chimes within her chest.
This little girl grew to be a fine young woman.
Everyone loved her, and she was known all across England for her beauty,
clever wit, kindness, and generosity.
/sigh
Now this girl also had an older sister, and she was in no way as gifted or as blessed.
This sister was a terrible, bitter, mean creature, and she was jealous of the girl in every way!
But she was a horrible, hateful person, so I won't speak more about her.
/scared
For now...
One day, the sisters received a letter from their father.
He had traveled to the New World to establish his business,
and at long last, he was calling his daughters across the sea to him.
So they boarded the swiftest ship in London and sailed for Port Royal.
All went well until they reached the Caribbean, which everyone knew was a haven for pirates and monsters.
On the night before they were to arrive, the girls were awoken by alarms. There was gunfire and shouts,
and the roar of cannon rocked their ship!
They were under attack by the dreaded Prince of Pirates!
Swiftly, their ship was subdued, and the girls were brought out.
The pirates took one look at the ugliness of the older sister and immediately sent her away with a shudder.
/fear
But they were in awe of the beauty of the younger sister and brought her before their captain.
At first sight, the dread Pirate Prince fell in love, and he bowed before the girl.
/bow
"If you grant me but a smile," he told her, "I shall release this ship and its crew, untouched."
"If you grant me but a kiss, I shall also return all the treasure I have taken."
"And if I can win your heart, I shall abandon my life as a pirate and make you my wife."
The girl was overjoyed, for she was in love with him as well.
And she gave him a smile.
/smile
And she gave him a kiss.
/sigh
But as she was about to confess her love and give him her heart, cannon rang out!
The pirates turned to see another ship approaching.
It was the warship HMS Colossus!
Dispatched from Port Royal by her father to ensure the safe arrival of his daughters.
The pirates fled, quickly returning to their ship, and the dread Pirate Prince bowed to the girl
and kissed her hand
and swore they would be reunited soon.
As she watched the pirate ship sail away, the girl was both sorrowful and overjoyed.
Sorrowful to be separated from her love so quickly.
/sad
Joyful because she knew that separation was only temporary.
/sigh
But little did she know that her jealous sister had been listening at a port hole and had heard the whole thing!
/hiss
The girls arrived safely in Port Royal and were reunited with their father.
/celebrate
They wept as they embraced and shared many stories.
Their father confessed that his reason for traveling to the Caribbean was not for business.
He had searched the sea for the greatest users of voodoo power and expended all of his wealth and influence
to at long last find a cure for his youngest daughter.
He was now able to give her a true heart.
Hearing this was just too much for the wicked older sister.
/crazy
Her younger sister was prettier, smarter, more popular than her.
She was better in every way except for her missing heart, and now her father was taking that away too!
He was going to make her perfect!
/hiss
She became so jealous and angry, that she confessed everything.
She told their father about the Prince of Pirates and of the marriage pact her sister had made.
She had agreed to be the love of the worst pirate of all!
And to leave her family forever!
Their father was overwhelmed by grief and anger, and without thinking, he expended all of his voodoo power,
granting the gift to his eldest daughter rather than his youngest, and she used that gift to have the one thing she had always wanted...
The ability to hurt her younger sister.
She was transformed into a great black seagull.
Tying the golden key to her leg, their father threw open the windows, and the big black bird flew into the night sky.
The younger sister was destroyed, and she fled the mansion in tears, never to return.
The father died soon after, alone, penniless, powerless, and broken hearted.
The girl found her Pirate Prince waiting for her on the beach, and weeping she fell into his arms.
The prince sailed away with his bride, but their happiness was short-lived.
Without the key, her heart slowly wound down
until it stopped entirely.
And so she lay in her cabin, not asleep and not alive.
And the Prince of Pirates sailed the seas, forever scanning the horizon with his glass, not for prizes or plunder,
/search
but for just a glimpse of the bird with the key to his bride's heart.
/bow
One of my favorites. :)
 
Love's Betrayal


There was once a girl who was born to wear a tiara of jewels.
She was loved by her family.
She was raised as a slave.
She was fated to die by love's betrayal.
And no one knew her name.
It was the law of the sea, and every Captain knew it...
When a pirate vessel raised the plague flag, its prey had a choice.
To surrender would mean the loss of all goods and gold, logs and maps, and possibly the ship itself, but the crew would be spared.
To fight, they may escape, aye, but failure would mean the death of all on board.
So when the fat little galleon chose to run, the crew of the Rancid Raven was surprised.
/curious
And as they gained, they watched their prey throw everything overboard for speed.
And when they fired their warning shot, the galleon turned and offered a broadside.
There was little else for the pirates but to sharpen their blades and prepare to board.
/bored
The galleon crew fought bravely, but the pirates swept through them like wolves through cattle.
/moo
The crew of the Rancid Raven was all the more surprised to find little of value on board.
/confused
Linens, grain, furniture of questionable quality...
Trinkets and baubles...
Nothing worth dying for.
/curious
Sassy Jack was an old hand at the pirate life though he held a position as lowly powder monkey.
As he searched the passenger cabins for some overlooked bauble, he heard a small noise.
/search
In the corner, beneath the body of a servant girl, he found an infant.
The wet nurse's last act had been to protect this child, and old Sassy Jack was strangely touched by that.
In the child's cradle, he found a parchment.
The quality paper, flowing script, and golden seal marked it of something of importance.
He knew perhaps his Captain or First Officer could cipher the meaning of the document, but he chose instead to leave it, lest he be forced to share.
The entire crew had sacrificed themselves to protect this fragile treasure, and he decided not to let that act be in vain.
So he tore away the golden seal, as its color pleased him, and hiding the child in his jacket, he returned to his ship.
From there, the Rancid Raven returned to Tortuga.
And Sassy Jack retired to his hovel within the storeroom behind the King's Arm tavern, a place of such low character that even Captain Jack Sparrow refuses to patronize it.
Sassy Jack hid the baby there amongst the empty kegs of ale and rum.
Carefully removing the gold seal from the parchment, he warmed it with a candle flame and attached it to a wooden disk, making from it a crude locket.
/coin
This, he hung around the baby girl's neck, his first and perhaps only selfless gift...
Sassy Jack and the crew of the Rancid Raven leave this story now.
/goodbye
Pirates say it is better to be lucky than smart. Unfortunately, the Captain and crew of the Rancid Raven were neither, and they were soon captured by the Royal Navy.
Sassy Jack and his crew were hung as pirates.
/shrug
Some days after the Rancid Raven's final departure, bartender Johnny McVane heard a faint cry coming from his storage room.
And there he found the baby girl, weak and exhausted and hungry.
He had no use for a child, but seeing no other reasonable option, he choose to keep her, and left her in the care of his serving girls and musicians.
In time, the girl became something of the bar's mascot, cleaning, serving drinks, and running errands for Mr. McVane.
/drink
In return, he allowed her to live in his storeroom, amongst his empty barrels, and having nothing else to call her, the people of Tortuga called her Dregs for the company that she kept.
Thirteen years passed quickly, and Dregs grew tall and slender, with dark hair and dark skin and deep Mediterranean eyes.
Mych Swain taught her music, and her voice grew lovely, and many pirates were known to weep at her sad ballads.
/sigh
/dance
And she learned to dance to such jaunty music, that the whole tavern would rise up to join her.
And she grew clever, and many pirates were known to laugh at her tricks and rage at her simple scams.
/coin
But alas, she was lonely, and she was a slave.
/sad
For Johnny McVane did not pay her with anything but scraps of food and thread bare clothing, and without the shine of gold, no pirate would take her off the island.
/sigh
Count Jackin Montmorency was a cad.
A boy born to English privilege, he squandered his family's money on cards and drink and ladies.
He lost his title to scandal and his estate to gambling.
Across all of Europe, Netherlands, and Prussia, his name was ruined.
But he had the gift of the golden tongue, and he was able to bargain his way into a minor EITC position in the New World.
He boarded his ship just ahead of a riot of creditors, cheated business partners, and jealous husbands and set sail for Tortuga.
There he was placed in the EITC offices of the Thieves' Den.
To say he was more of a success with the local tavern girls than with his new EITC masters would be an understatement, and his vices failed to impress his new master, Claude D'Arcis.
It was while he was drinking away his next week's pay in the King's Arm that he saw the skinny girl serving drinks and the flash of gold hanging around her neck.
"Come to me, my beauty," he beckoned, and offered Dregs his empty mug.
"Such a pretty thing you are," he said, and when she blushed, he took her medallion and examined it closely.
Oh, indeed, he recognized it for what it was.
"Such a beautiful girl you are," he said with a grin, "Far too pretty to waste away in a place like this..."
He was a charming one, that Jackin Montmorency, and he cast a spell of sweet words and promises with his tongue.
Soon, Dregs' heart was his, and all she could do was dream of her life with him, beyond this horrible place.
She did not see his greedy eyes. She did not see his flirting with the other girls. She did not hear what promises he offered them.
"But for us to live, my love, it is not enough that we merely be together... You must live in comfort, without want or fear forever. I would have it no other way.
"I have a plan that will solve all our troubles, but for it to succeed, I need your help."
"Anything!" Dregs cried and held him close.
"You are loved by the pirates of this place, while they trust me not at all for they know me to be EITC. I need you to call upon your friends, use your charms, and find for me a pirate crew.
"I know of a secret EITC shipment of gold. It shall be lightly protected. A sturdy crew of pirates, no more than three or four perhaps, can capture that ship.
"And our share of the treasure will guarantee our future! We shall travel to Spain and live out our lives in comfort and wealth!"
/yes
And Dregs did as he asked. It was simple thing for her to do, for many pirates were fond of her, and the promise of easy gold was irresistible.
And soon after, she found herself on the Tortuga dock, waving to Jackin Montmorency as he sailed away with his pirate crew.
/goodbye
It was late in the night when she awoke to a pounding on the door to her hovel. Outside was Jackin, bloody and burnt, leading a wheelbarrow loaded heavy with a royal chest.
"Did you get the treasure?" she asked, "Where are the others?"
With a grim look, he pushed the wheelbarrow inside and closed the door. "They are dead, my love, offered down to Davey Jones."
/gasp
"While they were aboard ship, dealing with my EITC brethren, I took the chest and set the charge and stole the sloop. Friend and foe alike went up with the explosion, and now we two alone bear witness."
/cower
"Oh, how could you do that to my friends?" she cried!
"All the more treasure for us, precious Dregs, and fewer the tongues to wag. Do not pirates always say, Dead men tell no tales?"
She cried and she raged, but in the end, her heart was his, and so she forgave. For what other choice did she have?
"We shall be happy then?" she asked, "Together?"
With a smile that would melt glaciers, he gave her a nod and opened the chest and reached in his hand...
Gold!
Gold, gold, GOLD!
/celebrate
Gold...
/confused
Gold... doubloons?
/gasp
One by one, he let them fall from his hand. It was a detail he had missed in the EITC report.
/sad
"Oh, my sweet Dregs," he moaned, "I have killed us!"
/cry
Her joy turned to fear and confusion. "What do you mean?"
/confused
"These are coins of the Spanish realm! Pieces of eight!
/no
"We cannot go to Spain with stolen Spanish gold! It would mean my slow death... We cannot go back to England, for the EITC would love to welcome me likewise...
"We cannot go to Prussia or the Netherlands or elsewhere in Europe for fear of my creditors... And we cannot stay here, for I have betrayed my entire pirate crew!"
/cry
"But France!" she said with a cry, "We can go to France!"
/yes
He approached her and gently withdrew her charm from her bodice. And he showed her the gold seal. He knew what it meant, and so he told her.
"We cannot go to France, my love, for you are born of Spanish royalty. And Spain and France are at war.
"What once would have promised an easy life in Spain, offers only a quick execution for us both...
/sad
"Unless..."
/wink
"Unless?" she asked, her hope returning.
"Unless there was a way to travel to France safely, gold in hand..."
"There is?"
He approached her with a smile, and slipped a narrow dagger from his sleeve.
And he held her face and gave her a kiss.
And she gasped.
/sad
There was once a girl who was born to wear a tiara of jewels.
She was loved by her family.
She was raised as a slave.
She was fated to die by love's betrayal.
And no one knew her name.
/bow
 
Last edited:
Typhoon presented by Ben Gone at Story Time, 2/13/2017

Typhoon


An elegant sunrise awoke the chill morning dew
Warming the air as the darkness was won
But the distant sky warned of change yet to come.
It blazed of red-golds while hailing the sun
And thus the lights rays were variously spun.

As morning progressed it was abundantly clear that
there was a far bank of thick clouds to fear
An awaking stiff wind, its buffets sincere
With fitful strong pose did this wind beg to rear
A rapid unsettling of a quite dark atmosphere.

Once, then, a sea of restful calming breath,
of rolled gentle swell and azure appeal
Now a confusion of waves and restless slop
A sea of gray pewter now kicking its heel
Misfortunes element when freshened with zeal.

Far from safe waters and a hospitable port
Brave men and brave ships will dance to this jig
All tied down, and secured, and lashed to the deck
The snapping of canvas and the rattle of rig
Ship-speak for the coming - no chance to renege.

Billowing sails stretch alive with the sway
Excitement at first as the ship’s running free
Of constant felt purpose are the wind and sea
Everything is rushing with strong gaiety
A taste of wildness as the wind blows to lee.

Surfing the seas, slightly shuddered and thrown
With a freshening voice the wind starts to moan
Thus calling the clouds to seek the new home
The ship’s stays begin singing refrains of their own
What is coming will certainly darken the tone...

The wind is now whining and wailing with might
The clouds have now thickened to cover the blight
The waves, with dark majesty, begin to stand more upright
The squalls throw the rain to add to the spite
Nature comes howling to strike man from its sight.

The wind shears the wave tops to smothering spume
The hissing of froth and driven rain through the air
adds to the chaos to which none can compare, and
stinging like needles, to add to the fare,
breathing comes in constant withering despair.

The stretch of the sails and the tug on the sheets
cause the seamen to short them if they’re to keep
The ship now trembling and quivering and pitching head-long
as it falls to the trenches and plows waves too steep
The wind blowing angry, destruction to reap.

Walls of water on deck as waves roll on past
Swirls of foam gushing up meet the weather-ward spray
The side of the lee buried deep in the play
No more division between the sky and the fray
Submerged, from the heavens to where devils will play.

But then comes the final shriek-driven pitch
The screech, the roar, of a fiendish tumult
The ship staggers up walls to plunge the abyss
This rouses the waves, which the wind will exalt
The rage of the tempest thus brinks the occult.

A smothered last thought — how unearthly the scream
To the power of Nature, all is resigned.
As the mind and the body meld with the storm,
the senses no longer are owned by the mind
Driven is the elemental desire to bind.

Though with words we give it emotion and drive
the truth is that, beyond the scale of the threat,
there is no emotion, no malice of thought,
but only the sighs of Nature’s balance — unset
For whatever the outcome, there is no regret.

Human identity, and sense, and emotion washed with
the crush, and the pound, and the sound — everything
The torments extinguish the thoughts to endure, and
only the gods know what tomorrow will bring
For now, time flies along Eternal’s long string.
 
Ghost Lights
As told by Charlotte IronPhoenix


Hear me now, all ye brave souls, as I tell this tale of fear and know that it be a true account. Quit this place now if ye be of tender heart or weak constitution!


I put to sea on a moonless night with calm waters, for these are the best times for hunting ships or at the very least a nice haul of fish! So I sailed towards the Dead Man’s Trough. I had spied a large ship there earlier that day. An East India Trading Company beast. The galleon sat deep in the water and doubtless it's belly was fat with treasure.


But those are desolate waters, cursed by the Devil himself. Though I possessed both a good map and a true compass, I could not find the location of the ship despite searching every inch of the Trench. With it nearing the dawn hour, weary and dismayed I turned my sails back towards Tortuga. But off the port side bow, out there just above the water, I saw a strange orb. A glowing blue light, no bigger than a cannonball, about half a league away.


My curiosity piqued, perhaps it was another ship trying to go unnoticed, or some poor dolt lost adrift. I sailed towards the light and at first I did not notice that it was steadily leading me away from my original heading... out into deeper and darker waters. The closer I got the further it seemed, yet I pursued it for some time before it finally seemed to stop and I gained ground upon it.


With the light came a fog the likes of which I have not seen before nor hence and the vapor was so thick I could not see the nose on my own face. I clutched the wheel of my ship for dear life as some unknown terror filled me and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. The fog thinned but where there had been naught but black seas before, there now towered a massive brig, errily alight with lanterns lit by the same strange balls of blue fire. The deck seemed abandoned at first glance and there was not a sound but the creak of wood and the slap of the waves against my ship.


As I came alongside the strange vessel, shapes formed out of the darkness on the ship. Men, women, children, all in mixed company of differing ages, nations and ranks. A sickeningly sweet odor hung in the air, cloying and thick, it nauseated me to my core.


An old gentleman with a gaunt face approached the side of the ship and by his dress, I presumed he was a man of some authority on the vessel. He hailed me and bade me come near. Warily, I went closer and he addressed me directly,


“We have room for one more. Will ye come aboard?”


My heart crashed against my ribs like a ship's hull against a reef. “Nay,” I said to him, “I have an errand in Tortuga and I must not tarry.”


He tipped his hat to me and wished me fair winds and I watched dumbfounded as the ship sailed on, the prow leaving no wake in the water. When the aft of his ship cleared my bow I snapped to my senses and made haste to turn my ship about. Suddenly there was a thunderous roar and I looked on in horror as a massive fireball erupted from the bowels of the ship, setting the canvas and the yardarms ablaze as the fire spilled across the deck. Awful screams rent the air and I could see human shapes within the flames running in vain.


I needed no further motivation to flee, lest the embers carry on the winds to my own ship. Not for the love of rum nor money would I look back again, the screams of the dying echoed in my ears all the way back to Tortuga.


Here ends my tale with this warning: If ye be sailing alone at night, Beware the lights floating above the water.
 
Love's Reflection

/greet
Gather round, friends, and I will share with you a tale told to me by a Navy Captain.
My sword was to his throat, no quarter was asked, and none was offered, so I have no reason to doubt the truth of his words...
It is a tale of a girl who could not see, for she had no eyes.
And yet, she saw more clearly than you or I ever could.
It is a tale I call, "Love's Reflection"...
The spirits and dark powers of the islands gave the child her own secret name, but to her people, she was known as Belle Huzuni.
Born of the union between the legendary Mama Tombrose and a wild spirit of storm and air, she was strong in the forbidden Voodoo powers,
and there was no question that she was destined to be a mighty Voodoo Queen like her mother.
To help her daughter see, Mama Tombrose crafted a special silver mirror for her.
This was a magic mirror, and when Huzuni peered into it, she saw not how things appeared as we do but how they truly were.
She could see inside the spirits of things and people, into their souls, and see all the dark things they tried to hide.
/yes
And all the light.
As the years passed, Huzuni grew dark, wild, and beautiful.
/flex
And powerful.
/dance
She would dance with the lightning of the storm, play with the alligators and will-o'-the-wisps in the swamp, and trade stories and riddles with the dead.
Many men of the island wanted her.
But she had to merely look into her mirror to see they were unworthy. Ultimately, however, the choice was taken from her.
/sad
The raiders arrived in the dark of night. What they were looking for was never known, but one of the things they took was Belle Huzuni.
She awoke to hard hands grabbing her and a rough sack being pulled over her head. She was carried to their savage vessel and thrown to the deck.
"What is this?" a harsh voice rasped, sounding honestly surprised.
/curious
Groping with her hands, she felt someone hand her her mirror. What she saw terrified her.
/scared
Never had she seen such a crowd of dark and menacing men.
/angry
So much anger, so much rage. So much pain. But then the reflection turned to their Captain, and she gasped.
/gasp
Captain Ossus was beautiful, with honest and concerned eyes, and a face that glowed with power and honor.
/sigh
He looked about to his crew and recognized in them the reason for why they took her.
"This one shall be mine," he announced, "as is my privilege as Captain. No others shall touch her!"
The crew grumbled but somehow seemed satisfied, as if this was the outcome they had wanted.
Belle Huzuni was frightened at first, but she had learned to trust what she saw in her mirror, and so she believed no harm would come to her from this man.
And true to his word, he protected her and cared for her.
And eventually he loved her.
And she loved him.
/sigh
As Captain, Ossus was compelled by his masters to perform his patrols. He cruised his waters and conquered any who dared trespass.
But unlike others in the fleet, he forbid the slaughter and torture of those who fell beneath the sights of his cannon.
Captured crews were released or marooned, their ships impressed into the fleet. Much to the frustration of his men.
/impatient
He had taken as his mission to impose mercy and justice and honor upon a crew who could not understand it.
Belle Huzuni adopted his goal as her own, and served his war frigate as Voodoo master, summoning storms to shred the sails of their prey, casting lightning and fury to shatter their hulls,
sending spirits to terrify and subdue their crews. For a time, they were successful and happy together.
In some small way, they took solace in knowing that if they were not doing good, at least they were doing no evil.
But there came a day when a foe found them that they could not best. The Navy sloop appeared on the horizon, and Captain Ossus immediately ordered a change in course to engage.
Belle Huzuni sent her spirits to steal their wind, but still they closed. She charged her crew's guns with dark power, but the sloop slipped aside and the shots missed.
She ordered her spirits to give speed to her ship, but the sloop was even faster and more agile, dancing around and around them,
always turning its guns to their aft and raking their hull with merciless broadsides. When they got close enough she tried to terrify the enemy crew, but they proved to be of sterner stuff and remained at their posts.
Within minutes, Captain Ossus's frigate was a burning hulk. Cannon and sail and rigging were scattered everywhere. Dead and wounded crewmen littered the deck.
/scared
Almost casually, the Navy sloop began to pull alongside, preparing to board. Captain Ossus turned to two able sailors. "You! Take Huzuni below! Hide her within a barrel!"
"Na!" Huzuni cried, "Ah won't leave yah!"
/no
But she saw in her mirror that he was determined for her to live. "You will hide in a barrel," he urged. "If they take you aboard, you still will have a chance to escape.
If they don't, and they sink us, you can float to safety!"
The two crewmen had to carry Huzuni below, for she would not go willingly. But once out of sight of their Captain, their true natures surfaced.
Rather than put her into a barrel, they locked her in the ship's brig, and taking her mirror for themselves, they climbed into barrels of their own.
Unfortunately, Captain Ossus's cells were better built than any Navy jail,
/wink
and she could not escape by simply kicking down the door.
/sad
So she waited in the damp darkness, and she listened.
She heard the enemy's grapples bite into the hull.
The shouts of the marines as they swung aboard.
The clash of battle as they attacked and subdued whatever remained of her crew.
The bark of orders. The cries of the wounded and dying.
And then eerie quiet as the enemy began to spread through the ship, searching for plunder.
She prayed that her love was spared.
She heard the men climb down to her deck and felt the heat of their lanterns on her face. She heard their gasps of surprise.
/gasp
The doors were prized open, and she was taken back into the warmth of the sun. The Navy marines murmured and whispered as they stood around her.
She heard their pillage being carried aboard their ship, including the barrels with the stowaways. She felt the arrival of someone of power.
He gasped when he saw her face and wondered aloud, "What have they done..."
But then he stopped and was silent for a very long time before speaking again. "I am Captain Nathanial Bayne, commander of the HMS Wasp. Tell me, my lady, are you in distress? We are here at your service."
Huzuni knelt where she was dropped and peered sightlessly up at him. "Ah shall nah speak tah yah, Meestah Bayne. Not till yah prove yahself ah HON'Rable man, yah?"
"And how may I do that, my lady?" He sounded amused.
"Aboawd yah ship, dey be two stowawa'. Dey be in barrels yah jus take aboar'. Ah give dem ta yah, if'n yah give me back ma lookin' gla'."
The order was immediately given, and Huzuni listened with satisfaction as the two thieves were found and thrown overboard. Minutes later, she sensed Captain Bayne kneel next to her, and press her mirror into her hand.
"Rest assured, lady," he said, "you may speak honestly. These rascals can do you harm no longer."
She held the mirror up and peered into the reflection. She saw a young, earnest man, sweating in his Navy uniform and wig beneath the Caribbean sun.
There was no guile in his face, only well intentions and concern. And she could see he was very taken with her.
She quickly looked about and found none of her crewmen left standing, but she wept with relief when she saw her beloved Ossus bound and kneeling and surrounded by guards.
/cry
"Ah ahm na p'izner, Meestah Bayne," she confessed. "Fo' ah belon' ta Capt'n Ossus dere. Me heart and me soul be 'is, an' ah can go na where el'."
"I am truly sorry to hear this," Bayne sighed, "For we have orders execute him and his crew."
Huzuni nodded. "Ah na leave 'im, Meestah Bayne, an' so ye mus' han' me alsa."
Captain Bayne leaned closer to her and whispered, "This I cannot do, madam. Please don't make me!"
She looked into her mirror and saw the pain on his noble face. "Ah loves 'im, Meestah Bayne. Ah see 'is soul, ah knows 'im ta be good an kin'. Me fate be 'is."
"No!" Captain Ossus cried with such pain that she wept.
/no
"She is my prisoner! You must release her! She had no hand in our crimes!"
Bayne looked from her to him, and then he nodded as if he understood all. "Very well. Lady, Captain, you leave me no choice.
For the crimes committed against Her Majesty's Navy, and the hazards you present to free trade and shipping in these waters, I condemn you to slow death by marooning."
Belle Huzuni gasped in surprise, and Captain Bayne smiled at her.
/smile
"Look upon yonder island," he said. "It is uninhabited and I am told, plentiful with fresh water, fruit, and swine. Whatever you may need.
It is rarely visited by smugglers, privateers, or other rascals, so if you take care, you can survive unbothered in isolation."

Go here for the ending
 
always enjoyed story time before but it has become very out of control . something needs to give so we all can enjoy .this time together. either Moderators need to give time outs or just mute those acting out. or just kick them out of game for the reminder of story time with a warning. Sorry just needed to vent. Dread Poet Thanks .
 
Nature's Blessings presented by Ben Gone at Story Time, 2/27/2017

Nature’s Blessings

I feel the Almighty’s breath on me
in the wind upon my bone.
And though I may be by myself,
I know I’m not alone.

I take a deep and quenching breath
of the essence of this life.
And fill myself with the Spirit’s blessing,
in Nature’s earth so rife.

I walk along this patch of sand
and scuff along a trail.
And meander here, now back and forth,
this course may tell a tale.

The light crunch I hear as I walk along
this soft and pliable sand,
it is the voice of a thousand grains
all in Nature’s command.

With my hand I scoop a bit of earth
and through my fingers find,
from ashes to ashes and dust to dust,
I have found like kind.
 
Monsters In Human Skin
Part I

Fellows and pirates of notoriety, the story I will tell tonight is a long one, but take heed, for it is my intention to warn you that it is not only off the edge of the map where monster's dwell.

I was sailing with a small crew aboard a little galleon named the Red Raider, under a mad-man called Captain Fletcher. A nasty encounter with a Navy ship forced us to seek shelter. We found a wild-looking island overgrown with tangled greenery and bushy trees that made a dark canopy over the ground. I thought the island looked a little foreboding. It was too...still. There was nothing moving, no birds, not even any crabs on the shore.

Wanting for water fresh provisions, we went ashore to resupply. Our little company found a small estuary running into the sea easily enough. Relived, we followed it inland until the water was sweet.

As we drank our fill right there on the banks we were startled by a shrill cry from the surrounding trees. It sounded like the wail of a crying child and a great unease crept over the crew until the quartermaster assured us that surely it was some talking bird that had learned to mimic human speech.

“Such birds fetch a handsome price on Port Royal," That was a man by the name of James that spoke, he was rash and really just a little bit dim-witted sometimes. Seeming set on getting that bird and apparently appealing to the captain's more unpredictable nature, he was given the Captain's nod to go fetch the fleeing fowl.

The rest of us set to work retrieving the water barrels from the ship and bringing them inland to refill. And yet we finished that task and James had still not returned. We made a camp on the beach so that we could hunt bushmeat and forage fruits that be plentiful in such places while we waited. The sun had begun it's downward turn by the time we had acquired sufficient supplies and at long last our missing crew member returned to us.

“Where's the bird James?” One man began to laugh before he got a good look at him and went silent.

James was in a strange state, disheveled and dirtier than normal, face swollen and his clothes torn. His eyes were wide and glassy and I could have swore by the look of him he'd seen something horrible.

“I found something,” He was slow to answer, his tone flat “Ye all should come see.”

“By the Saints,” the Quartermaster exclaimed softly, “What the devil happened to you James?”

“I found something ye all should see,” James repeated again in a monotone.

The Quartermaster seemed disturbed by the change in him; “What is it?"

Again, a long pause before he answered. “Gold. Great big chests of it.”

Around the camp there was a great cry of delight. It was decided that half the crew would stay back, while the others went to investigate.

I was among the group that went. The Captain and Quartermaster came to make sure if gold was found that it all would be accounted for. James led us back along the stream, despite him walking with a heavy limp now, then along this winding path inland through the dense greenery. When the brush began to thin, we could make out the ruins of a modest manor house that had been overtaken by the forest long ago; it now sat rotting apart.

“Strange,” the Captain commented quietly.

“The gold,” James said with apathy, “it is inside. In the cellar.”

That's when the Quartermaster frowned, seeming suspicious, “How did you find this place James? You've been acting bizarrely ever since you came back.” The Quartermaster told him critically.

James blinked slowly, very deliberately as he answered; “The bird. I followed it here;” he began to walk forward stiffly, “Come inside. Come see the gold.”

By this time, the Quartermaster's uneasiness had spread to the rest of us. I could see the Captain fingering the flintlock on his belt, yet the chance of easy money pressed us to follow him inside. The doors to the house were long gone and when we found the cellar it hung open like a gaping maw, the inside pitch black. We fashioned ourselves a torch from the leg of a ruined table and a rotten drapery.

Walking down, one by one with James in the lead, the light showed us rows and rows of great oaken barrels. One man inspected the nearest one at length. “Wine,” he remarked aloud, “this is almost as good as gold—if we could sell it before the crew drank it all!”

There a chuckle went through our group before the air grew serious. “Avast James,” the Captain told him, hand still on his pistol; “where is this gold?”

James only stood silently at the edge of the torchlight, his head hanging down forward as if he'd suddenly fallen asleep on his feet. The Quartermaster strode forward and clasped him firmly on the shoulder, “What in bloody Davy Jones' name is going on?!” he snarled as he spun him around; James crashed to the ground in a heap, unmoving.

Captain Fletcher came forward; “What's happened to him?”

The Quartermaster kicked James's boot then examined the man for signs of life. He paused before he gasped aloud and took a great step back, “He's clammy...and stiff. By God he's dead!”

“How can that be?” Captain Fletcher demanded; “He was just standing in front of us walking and talking!”

A high, girlish laugh sounded from somewhere around us before our torch fire crackled and died completely. We stood there in the dark and animal instinct twisted my gut in fear. We had come here seeking gold, but there in that moment I felt that the real prize would be escaping this place alive.

My friends, my tale has gone over long and the hour is late. I shall finish this story in a fortnights time. Until then, just remember--

Sometimes monsters wear human skins.
 
Blackbeard's End presented by Ben Gone at Story Time, 6/12/2017

Blackbeard’s End

Governor of Virginia, thus having received
much numerous, bitter complaint,
issued by proclamation a sound reward,
to remove the pirate taint

Edward Teach, Blackbeard by fame,
had crossed too many a line
And in pardons bought, and in lies well caught,
finally did hamper his design

Two sloops were hired of shallow, fine draft
for a lieutenant well qualified -
and a complement of sixty men, and a
midshipman by the name of Hyde

Small arms, and swords, and pistols in all
were the lot that they could carry
The sloops were small to clear the shoals, so
with cannon they could not marry

Off they set to find their prey, following
rumors -this at best
Of Blackbeard’s ship the rumors abound
as to where the Adventure did rest

At dusk upon that fateful eve,
through many days of search,
the Adventure was found at Ocracoke,
set anchored at her perch

The lieutenant chose to wait for the morn,
to check the tide and shoal
And so he rested a peaceful night
The fight would be taking its toll

Blackbeard and crew did party ’til late, though
aware of the unknown two ships
A drinking bout, they had their fun, while
entertaining friends with their quips

The lieutenant commanded one of the sloops,
and Hyde had command of the other
Their thought was to rush the Adventure at dawn
while the pirates were still in a dither

The Adventure —nine cannon lying still in their mounts
The pirates still did not care
If only the sloops could come alongside
before they were brought to bear

To board the Adventure before they were hit was
the lieutenant’s well-thought-out plan
But Hyde’s sloop, and then the lieutenant’s,
hit the shoals in a very short span

As grounded, they were, the surprise was now gone and
the crew of the Adventure took note
At the run toward the pirates their purpose was clear,
and Blackbeard took charge of his boat

As the ballast was thrown to get off of the shoal so
the sloops could move on and attack,
Blackbeard and crew sprang to action, be danged,
no time to sit in the sack

In these critical moments, establishing grounds,
near-panic was set on a high
The sloops were desperate to free themselves, and
Blackbeard set pace, do or die

The pirates fast acted to loosen their sails, and
cut loose their anchor set sound
Their cannons were manned and stations were set
They readied to throw a fast round

The wind was slight, the sails billowed light, so
the sloops were powered by oar
Their hulls finally lightened, the crews now less frightened,
on the move they again were once more

Now close enough that the muskets could fire, so
both started burning their powder
Blackbeard, ranging, on one of the sloops
let blast with four- and six-pounder

Hyde’s sloop took the brunt of the pirates’ first blast,
and Hyde was killed with a shot
The deck was ravaged, the foresails were downed,
and the sloop was thus stopped on the spot

The oarsmen were mangled, and blood swept the deck, but
some action took place so profound
A few men returned musket-arms fire
and sometimes luck will astound

A ball clipped the halyard of the fleeing ship
All the foresails went down with a rent
The ship was thus slowed -it could not make escape-
for the oarsmen were rowing fire-bent

Blackbeard did hail them as closure was sure
He wanted to know, “Why harass?”
And he cursed them and swore; belittled by name,
as he drank the liqueur in his glass

The lieutenant had failed to carry his ploy,
and time had signaled the end
For as fast as the oarsmen continued to row,
their grounding they could not transcend

Blackbeard then decided it was fight to the end, no
quarter given, or to take
He was sure of himself, his cannons were ready,
the lieutenant’s sloop he did rake

The cannon were shotted with partridge and grape
to make an end of the day
Grenades that they made of rum bottles and iron
were thrown on the sloop in the fray

Many of the sloop’s men were slashed into bits
Twenty would not fight there again
But obscured in the smoke the lieutenant did hide
the last of his non-injured men

What was left of his men, down the hatch to the hold
They quickly to the ladder descend
And Blackbeard thought that they were most done
-There seemed no one left to contend

And so boarded Blackbeard in front of his crew
to tie off the fine sloop, now sot
With so few men left standing, the sloop was thus his,
to add to his pilfered lot

Up pushed the lieutenant with men on the run to
stop the fooled boarding, small band
And leading their crews, the two leaders faced,
each with a sword in his hand

The fighting was fierce; in few minutes was done
Both sides taking a worthy stand
But the weary armed men, what left of the crew,
slaughtered the small boarding band

Blackbeard was killed with five musket-born shots,
and twenty large grievous cuts
By then Hyde’s old sloop did come alongside
with muskets’ fast-sounding rebuts

What was left of the crews took a brave final stand,
allowing victory to take shape
Some pirates did fight, while some tried to run,
but none were let to escape

The Adventure was theirs, the reward in large share
And so was the sailors’ delight
On Adventure’s bow spirit the trophy was hung
Blackbeard’s head …in cursing plain sight

Legend would leave us a peculiar strong note, as
Blackbeard was thrown to the sea
Headless it swam ‘round the Adventure three times

The curse was not finished, you see
 
This is my PG version of an X-rated song I once heard in Tortuga, a song that was dedicated to Maria Lockspinner. I sang this song 6-12-2017 in Barbossa's Grotto for story time.

Farewell Island Girl

Your tropical flesh is delightful,
Your kisses mango sweet.
You move to the ocean's rhythm,
You glow with passion's heat.

You could launch a thousand ships
With a toss of your soft black hair,
And the Devil himself would blush
At the pleasures we have shared.

But my heart belongs to another,
My one true love is the sea,
My passion is for sailing,
My ship, she makes me free.

So I must proclaim,
Though it's criminally insane,
A pirate's life for me.

I'll probably die,
But please don't cry,
A pirate's death for me.

Aboard the Black Pearl
With Jolly unfurled,
I'll sail the world . . .
Farewell island girl
A pirate's life for me--yo ho!!
 
Last edited:
Untitled Sonnet presented by Charlotte Ironphoenix at Story Time on 6/12/17


Through the noxious smoke of gruesome battle
The cannon fire does roar and flash,
Sheathed swords in scabbards rattle
As timber breaks with a thunderous crash.

The pirate captain gives a joyous cheer
Her crew of fearsome scoundrels full of glee,
Their prey without hope, hearts clench now in fear
While their once proud ship sinks beneath the sea.

But the real treasure that they plunder
Can be measured not in silver nor gold,
This precious thing one time torn asunder
Cannot be carried inside a ship's hold.

Once thought forever lost, now again found
Ties of new camaraderie abound.
 
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