Tom Cunningham Poet Sonnet

Notes About The Poem

picture credit -allposters.co.uk.i

In the 18th and 19th century the Royal Navy used impressment to maintain  crew levels on British warships.

Gangs of about ten sailors would go ashore and wait by inns in coastal towns and then forcibly take men to join their ships, often brute force was used and the pressgangs as they became known were feared by many.

Pressganged

I was walking home from the inn one night
Along the cobbled streets home to my wife 
Ten sailors' jumped out and gave me a fright
They had coshes' and I feared for my life.

I felt sharp pain on the back of my head 
It went dark and I fell down on the ground
Before I passed out I was full of dread 
Another victim the pressgang had found.

Next morning I woke tied at the ships mast
The main sail above me flapped in the breeze 
An officer said "you'd better learn fast 
You are the kings now so him you will please".

I  looked over the side, we were at sea
Freedom I once had was taken from me.

                           ~

Written on 24th November 2018.

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Paula Goldsmith February 24, 2020 at 11:15 AM Congratulations on your win. A great story and picture to go with it. Enjoy your win and day...... Tom Cunningham February 24, 2020 at 2:33 PM Thank you very much Paula, happy you enjoyed it. Tom. Have a nice day too.

Sam Kauffman February 23, 2020 at 7:52 PM Hi Tom, You are able to skillfully capture the essence of history and important themes in your poetry - especially in this sonnet! Congratulations my friend! A PS - do you know the history of the Cunningham clan? Tom Cunningham February 24, 2020 at 6:34 AM Thank you Sam, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, My parents are from the West of Ireland but the Cunninghams originated from Ayrshire in Scotland, Over Fork Over. Tom

Gary Bateman December 11, 2018 at 11:59 AM Hello Tom, A great story here indeed!! And, wondrously articulated sonnet too!! I know this Royal Navy "Impressment" had been used, at times, when America was a very young country, and I believe also, during the War of 1812. America's naval tradition today, and our Army too, are both deeply rooted in the traditions and operational influence from the British Navy and Army -- and the closest of allies we shall always remain!! Enjoyed your sonnet very much here!! Cheers, Gary Tom Cunningham December 11, 2018 at 12:22 PM Thank you Gary, although it was a worldwide practise the Royal navy were notorious for it. Thankfully conditions on Navy ships improved and with better pay and a pension the impressment died out. Happy you.enjoyed it. Tom.

Jennifer Proxenos December 11, 2018 at 11:09 AM Hi Tom, I marvel at your imagination, truly you have been blessed! Frightening that this used to happen - wonderful poem Tom, Best wishes, Jennifer Tom Cunningham December 11, 2018 at 12:16 PM Thank you Jennifer, imagine going out for a few tankards of ale and waking the next day with a sore head on a ship. Tom.

Lindsay Laurie November 26, 2018 at 9:02 PM Crikey Tom … and these were the good old days. A shiver shot up my spine - thanks Mat - Lindsay Tom Cunningham November 27, 2018 at 3:02 AM Thankfully conditions improved and men started to volunteer so the press gang faded into history. Tom.

Carolyn Devonshire November 26, 2018 at 3:21 PM Oh my! This type of thing really happened? Thanks for the history lesson written in such an amusing poem. Enjoyed very much, Tom. Hugs, Carolyn Tom Cunningham November 27, 2018 at 3:00 AM Terrible times back then, everything was for the taking even peoples freedom. Hope you had a nice thanksgiving celebration. Tom.

Anne-Lise Andresen November 26, 2018 at 3:18 AM - A freedom stolen ... a great story, Tom :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Tom Cunningham November 26, 2018 at 3:46 AM Thank you Sunshine, they were dark times back then. Tom.

Kim Rodrigues November 26, 2018 at 2:46 AM Another great moment you have captured from history! The wife and children wondering what happened to their loved one. A fave! tom! Tom Cunningham November 26, 2018 at 3:49 AM Thank you Kim, yes, it must have been awful for families and many never saw their families again, conditions on ships at that time were atrocious with disease, strict discipline and wars taking their toll. Tom.

Demetrios Trifiatis November 26, 2018 at 1:19 AM As though experiences of the past revived and come to life! Wonderfully done my friend, Tom! Are you certain it is ...fiction! Haha Tom Cunningham November 26, 2018 at 3:42 AM Thanks Demetrios, I do love the sea and sometimes it does make you wonder. Tom.

Mike Grant November 25, 2018 at 4:28 PM I enjoyed this Tom nice write! ~Mike Tom Cunningham November 26, 2018 at 3:41 AM Thank you Mike, glad you liked it. Tom.

P.S. Awtry November 25, 2018 at 9:44 AM ditto all that has been said. and this flows nicely :) Tom Cunningham November 25, 2018 at 11:04 AM Thanks very much P.S. Tom.

Silent One November 25, 2018 at 8:54 AM Great sonnet Tom! Tom Cunningham November 25, 2018 at 11:03 AM Thank you S.O. Tom.

Darlene De Beaulieu November 25, 2018 at 7:16 AM Hello Tom, I like this poem you have created. I use to watch Long John Sliver on tv, I enjoyed the adventures. Have a nice day my friend. Darlene De Beaulieu November 26, 2018 at 12:17 PM Oh-hh. Tom Cunningham November 25, 2018 at 7:24 AM Thank you very much Darlene, another good series was Black Sails about pirates in Nassua. Tom.

Gershon Wolf November 24, 2018 at 9:34 PM Tom, you are the Dean of the History Department at Poetry Soup U... Thanks for the education. :) gw Tom Cunningham November 25, 2018 at 7:22 AM Thanks Gershon, I like researching a historical event then composing a rhyme. Tom.

James Horn November 24, 2018 at 8:48 PM This sounds like something precursor to President Trump that we now hve to live with. Tom Cunningham November 25, 2018 at 7:16 AM Haha, Looks like you've all been pressganged James. Tom.

Andrea Dietrich November 24, 2018 at 6:54 PM that was very interesting for me because I had not heard of it before. I am really into Outlander and a similar thing happened on a recent episode of that show. Some pirates beat up the main characters to take possession of a ruby that they wanted from those people. This was after the main characters had treated the pirate guy very nice and saved his life. There is no honor among thieves, Tom Cunningham November 25, 2018 at 7:14 AM There certainly isn't Andrea, Now that's a programme I haven't seen. Sounds like my kind of series. Tom.

Wren Rushing November 24, 2018 at 5:50 PM Wonderfully written sonnet and history lesson as well. Tom Cunningham November 25, 2018 at 7:11 AM Thank you Wren. Happy you liked it. Tom.

Harry Horsman November 24, 2018 at 4:49 PM Awesome, Tom, love the sonnet, and the history you weave into it.. Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 4:53 PM Thank you Harry, I do enjoy composing historical verse. Tom.

Pashang Salehi November 24, 2018 at 2:00 PM Nicely done... great sonnet. Pashang Salehi November 25, 2018 at 3:22 AM You bet... Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 4:27 PM Thank you very much Pashang, Regards. Tom.

Nette Onclaud November 24, 2018 at 1:57 PM ohh, this engrossing poem allowed me to discover something new--impressment...impressive, tom.. huggs Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 4:26 PM Thanks Nette, it was used by other countries too but the Royal Navy was famous for it. Tom.

Jan Allison November 24, 2018 at 1:48 PM fabulous sonnet Tom, I do so enjoy your historical writes:-) hugs Jan xx Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 4:24 PM Thanks Jan, there was an incident on the I.O.M. at Balkacraine where the press gang tried to 'Recruit ' some Manxmen and in the fight that followed one of the press gang died, its known as the battle of Balacraine. Tom.

Constance La France November 24, 2018 at 11:20 AM Tom, oh what a great storyteller you are, I never knew this part of history, how horrible it must have been back then, Well done ~ Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 4:11 PM Thanks Dear Heart, terrible times for sure, in a way it was a form of slavery. Tom.

Vladislav Raven November 24, 2018 at 9:27 AM Hi Tom, it was indeed a dangerous time to live. So many souls pressganged, learn to be a sailor or overboard you would go. It would have been so frightening. You have tiurned a leaf from history's pages with this wonderful sonnet Tom. You capture moments so well. Have a wonderful Saturday. Your friend always....Mike. Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 9:47 AM Thank you Mike, as conditions on ships improved impressment slowly died out and with better pay and a pension at the the end recruitment improved so the Pressgangs faded into history. Tom.

Paul Callus November 24, 2018 at 9:22 AM An enjoyable poem, Tom. The novel "Sylvia's Lovers" (I forgot the author) was partly based on impressment. Regards // paul Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 9:43 AM Thank you Paul, just googled it (Elizabeth Gaskell) it looks an interesting read, of course sailors like the whalers in the book were ideal candidates being experienced sailors. They must have been frigtening times indeed. Tom.

Mike Gentile November 24, 2018 at 8:26 AM Tom, I had not ever heard of this before. A very interesting write of history in a Sonnet. Excellent!! Tom Cunningham November 24, 2018 at 9:38 AM Thanks Mike, something else they would do is slip a Kings shilling into an unsuspecting drinkers pint of ale and say he'd accepted money so was carted off to the ship. As a result they made tankards with a glass bottom so people could see if anything had been put in. Many times friends would step in to help friends and bloody battles would break out in the streets. Tom.

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