Tom Fleece Poet Rhyme

Rounding The Horn

LISTEN, MATES, AND LISTEN WELL
TO THE TALE THAT I’M ABOUT TO TELL
ABOUT A PLACE IN AN ANGRY SEA
A PLACE WHERE MEN SHOULD NEVER BE

WAS THERE A SAILOR EVER BORN
THAT DIDN’T FEAR TO ROUND TO HORN?
 A PLACE WHERE EVIL DEVILS DWELL
A PLACE THAT HAS THE GATES TO HELL

I’LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE GOOD SHIP CREE
A WHALER ON THE GREAT SALT SEA
OUT OF GLOUCESTER SHE DID SAIL
GOING AFTER THE GREAT SPERM WHALE

FOR MANY DAYS HER COURSE WAS SOUTH
HEADED FOR THE FURIES' MOUTH
AND FINALLY SHE DID REACH THE HORN
AND SAW THE EVIL START TO FORM

A HOWL WAS HEARD WITHIN THE WIND
AND ICY WATERS IT DID SEND
AND CLOSER DID THE GOOD SHIP SAIL
INTO AN ALL-CONSUMING GALE

THIS WAS A STORM 
THAT WASN’T THE NORM
WITH WAVES NEAR 60 FEET HIGH
ALL THAT WERE HERE 
FELT NOTHING BUT FEAR
AS THE GRAY STOLE THE BLUE FROM THE SKY

CAPTAIN JIM AND FIRST MATE TIM
WERE TIED UP TO THE MAST
SCREAMING OUT THE SAILOR'S PRAYER
THAT THE FURY WOULDN’T LAST

BUT AS WE KNOW, THIS WOULD NOT BE
FOR THIS WAS NOT A NORMAL SEA
THE SPECTER NOW WAS ON THE SHIP
AND FROM HIS FORM THE BLOOD DID DRIP

THE SPECTERS GRIN WAS WIDE AND THIN
WITH TEETH AS SHARP AS NAILS
CRY OUT DID HE, UPON THE SEA
WITH WINDS THAT TORE THE SAILS

WOE IS US, OH WOE IS US
CRIED OUT THE FRIGHTENED CREW
THE PREACHER TOLD US NOT TO GO
AND NOW WE KNOW IT’S TRUE

OUR FATE IS SEALED
THE BOSUN SQUEALED
THE SPECTER WANTS US TOO
OUR DAY IS LOST, AND WE’RE THE COST
IT’S DEATH FOR ALL THE CREW

THEN FROM THE HOLD A BOY SO BOLD
THE PREACHER'S SON WAS HE
A GLOWING CROSS WAS IN HIS HAND
AND FROM HIS LIPS DID HE COMMAND
THE SPECTER TO THE SEA

GET BACK BEFORE I TOUCH THY HEAD
AND LET YOU BURN UNTIL YOUR DEAD
TAKE THY EVIL TO THE SEA
AND DO NOT SINK THE GOOD SHIP CREE

THE SPECTER SCREAMED A MIGHTY SCREAM
AND DANCED UPON THE DECK
AND IN THE AIR HE SWORE DESPAIR
THE SHIP THAT HE WOULD WRECK

THE SPECTER ‘S EYES WERE BURNING RED
AND SLOWLY HE DID CREEP
THE PREACHER'S SON STAYED CALM AS DEATH
TO WAIT THE SPECTERS LEAP

THEN FROM THE CROSS A BRILLIANT LIGHT
BEFELL THE SPECTERS FACE
AND IN FLASH HE TURNED TO ASH
AND LEFT WITHOUT A TRACE

SO THE CREE SAILED ON
THE SPECTER GONE
THE RIGHTEOUS DID PREVAIL
THE SEA NOW CALM AS I LIVE ON
TO TELL ALL OF THIS TALE

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