“Doo-doo, doo-doo,” we hear the beast coming.
Music gets under our skin. The worst of attacks,
narrated by the boat’s captain. Unsettling sink
of the USS Indianapolis. Just below the hull,
a giant life wanting to strike a blow. This boat
a smaller target. Getting chummy, stomachs
lurching. Baited by grimmer details. A solid blow
to the vessel. All hands on deck - only three.
“Doo-doo, doo-doo,” and oftentimes whimsical.
Who will survive? Aye! Aye! Not the captain!
The shark will save the other half for dinner.
You, who know, know what happens. Those
who don’t, be warned; watch, get an education!
There is a little Pirate Girl,
Her name is Captain Alanna,
She wears a Jolly Roger on her hat,
And she loves bananas.
She sails on a Pirate ship,
Across oceans and seas,
Swashbuckling and hunting treasure,
In between having afternoon teas.
No other ships or crew are safe,
When Captain Alanna sets sail,
They see her ship on the horizon,
That’s when they tremble, then turn pale.
If anyone makes her angry,
They’re made to walk the plank,
She hides her treasure on desert islands,
It isn’t in any bank.
She prefers to drink apple juice,
She’s not too keen on rum,
A happy pirate girl she is,
And hardly ever glum.
With her crew she’s bossy,
She calls out “All hands on deck”,
“Arrrrgh”, they all reply,
Then whisper “Oh heck”.
There’s a parrot on her shoulder,
A patch over her right eye,
She’s ruthless with her cutlass,
Enough to make grown men cry.
Afternoon naps are forbidden,
She sleeps when she’s ready,
Snuggled up with her trusty sidekick,
The one that she calls Teddy.
The doctor’s practice went to waste
the moment that the medic faced
A call from his reserve platoon
to fight a battle all too soon
The CEO of Pharma-Tech
would leave behind all hands on deck
When his brigade came calling him
he knew the war was no mere whim
The principal of my kids’ school
had fought the call, but overruled
He swiftly left his chair unmanned
The army had ripped up his plans
‘Coz ev’ry year since 'forty-eight
Disruption's marred the Jewish State
The captain called all hands on deck
He said come on lads what the heck
Whatever you do
when you have to poo
don’t leave the loo in such a wreck
A good day into a mood day
Why’s everyone being crude day
The sun is radiant
So what’s with the frown
How did the moods die down
From a happy community
To what happened to unity and the impunity
A small town as a family in disguise
Whatever happened to being allies
This is where it’s all hands on deck to rebuild what was
A pandemic seems to fall under a probable cause
It’s a long road to peace so let's take our time
A beautiful symphony turned into a conflict in the summertime
would, that there were four of me
the ways that I could pleasure thee
each tentacle to tender tickle
fancied freckles, firm or fickle
one all-at-once massage, divine -
all hands on deck, in grand design
perceptive palms with petting jives
could raise a rash of ‘rotic hives
oh, goosebumps of the finest kind
quadrupled thus to blow your mind
four tens of fingers, fixed just SO
to warm the embers down below
mass touches placed with dermal love
bear moans from zones rare spoken of
pray how could one but NOT adore
a mate like me, (and mine) …
times FOUR?!?
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, March 16, 2023
Feedback - flight or fight – it’s due to enzymes.
God put it in our brain, safeguard for crimes;
fear is normal, a good thing many times.
Facts fog up when fear uses its strong-arm.
What is meant to keep us sheltered from harm
can fail just like any other alarm.
A freeze from fear forces all hands on deck.
When fears become phobias, take time, check
your fear can be a liar, a roughneck.
Facing the fact of a fear of failure
pray to God; ask others to help for sure.
With effort on your end, you’ll find a cure.
Focus on the freedom you can achieve
when your irrational fear goes on leave.
January 22, 2023
This is a reasonnet - four tercets rhymed AAA,BBB,CCC,DDD, and a couplet rhymed EE. I have used pentameter, but that is not required according to the creator of this form, Reason A. Poteet (yes, that's me).
Oh, how I long to touch you
it’s just that “I’m all thumbs”
and you deserve much more than just
a few remaining crumbs!
“An arm and a leg”, I would give
for one more chance, you see
But then again, if that's the case,
just where would we be?
You know that “I’m all ears”
for any thoughts you’d share
But for a man “all thumbs and ears"
just why would you care?
“It’s as plain as the nose on your face!”
I need “all hands on deck”
But with my lips, (I just have two!)
I could kiss your neck
“Ants in my pants” I hear you say
But just what would you know
As you’re the one here “all dressed up
with nowhere to go!”
“If all that glitters is not gold”
and I’m “all talk and no action“
Take off the makeup and go tp sleep
We’ll get no satisfaction!
No one has time to do anything tonight but work.
We are concentrating on the exactness of each movement.
Meticulously recreating the night sky, a united effort
No one wasting time to speak, whisper, all hands on deck.
The universe is counting on us patriots, so we work together.
Silently, stealthily, putting our differences aside for this night.
I can't imagine the cry ranged from my eyes
Sweeping the floor like a flood.
This non can imagine to be our lot.
Despite all hands on deck for success to make
Non can tell of how fate has thus loots us
Adiye nlagun, iyere nikoje
Can our days at tertiary be a waste?
No, I mean never.
Yet we celebrate the warming ass years after graduation
But their sons a greater hope is laid
While we at this end our strength put them in power
Four years come and gone
Our yoke daily compounds upon our glutton.
That that which laid in us as of the Greek.
We dare not enforce
Gbogbo wa tije dodo akole sododo
This thousand generations will benefit
Less their eyes and consciousness are brought back
No place of refuge to hope in our God
For in all our yoke do compound in their sermons and acts.
Our gracious God we pray you to restore us
As that of the Samaria.
© Olorunleke olorode
I am the skipper of this ship;
A ship is a ship, whatever name you tag it with.
With face overwrought and fierce this ship I steer.
The stars my guide, with tears I press on,
Looking for the shore not sure exist
On a voyage to a not sure future land.
Melancholy the cabin aid not a friend to sleep
Against rocky water I have to row.
Many a times broken rudder I have to man.
All hands on deck roar I to no one around.
Aye skipper Aye to myself answer I.
A hard nut, this hardship, for weather to crack.
Why is there no crew as my heart desires?
Why no mates here on this ship so hard?
Why is the journey so long and unsure?
And where exactly is this harbor of joy?
Why is it always a man to ship so large?
Why is the course so treacherous to navigate?
My thoughts every day as I am manning this hardship.
Is your ship as hard as mine?
When you get the answers say Aye! Aye! to the skipper.
Let us make ready and set sail
This mighty frigate will prevail
We will see what we will see
Mother Sea is calling me
The Mainsail, Lanteen and Jib are set
First Mate, Boatswain and crew are the best yet
Captain is on the Bridge planning our bearing for today
Orders all hands on deck, prepare to wake way
Anchors aweigh, the harbor is behind and the wind is at our stern
Frigate Constellation is swift and powerful the crew will soon learn
First Mate is at the sextant, compass and bell
"Ahoy Mates!" the wind fills our sails, all is well
Waves crash our bow, course set straight as the crow flies
Over Davey Jones's Locker where sea mysteries lie
Captain is confident, we will see what we will see
I will sail this ship, Mother Sea is calling me
i am burning.. waiting for a sign..
hear the trumpet call.. hear the sound to arms..
Ultra League is on.. Battle things are joined..
a whisper here, a whisper there.. who's the man in white?
stain'd with bloods, eyes like fire; sword he holds, voice like waters
restless pawing, horses neighing; the air crackles, silent as light
yet charged; the silent voices of numberless ones gone before,
dead, yet still alive, silent yet speaking,
waiting to join in the noise, not heard here
on earth,
but resounding on high.
then a hush.. a wait..then a trumpet blast, long, loud, clear,
ringing so loud in the silence of the hearts,
silence still.. then a step, a hoof forward..another step, another hoof forward..
souls burst into flames, the cry of uncountable voices roar across the plains of the battlefield as we charge into battle
the blood-stained One leads on a white horse, sword-as-a-tongue,
eyes like fire, voice like thunder - He charges relentlessly ahead
we follow behind him, all hands on deck..
then you wake up.
your soul stirs at the sound of the impending battle.
to war, o saint, to war!
From crude wooden ships
Made of twigs and leaves
That sail in the wind
Now moored in the trees
Down from the crows' nest
And over the sides
They descend like raiders
In camouflaged disguise
Furry gray pirates
Plunder and sift
Nuggets pilfered in fall
Ensconced in the drift
No X's or paces
On hand drawn maps
Buccaneers dig kickshaws
For cold winter fat
Assiduous and nervous
And always on alert
For hungry bounty hunters
Aware of their worth
Threatened they scatter
It's "All hands on deck"
Retreating from danger
Their lives are in check
Back to the safety
Of the moored ships that sway
Make ready to sail
And loot the next day
An original poem by thr "poemdog" Daniel Turner
Tears rolled down.
Face wrinkled.
A little shout comes a frown.
I am weak and fickled,
Life is hard,
I am sad.
Life is for the ironclad,
But am a frail lad.
Controlled by emotions,
And also swayed by affection.
All hands on deck,
Does not fall under my purview,
I'd rather rest my neck,
Go on vacation for a nice view.
I guess its time to throw in the towel,
Then right back to my comfort zone.
Pick up my phone, browse and be alone,
Then to the kitchen for ready made food to fill my bowel.
Sleep, wake up and sleep again,
Your admonisions are in vain.
Give me an umbrella cos the sun is shinning,
I can't risk exposing my skin to drying.
Such is the life of the namby-pamby, then little by little failure creeps in.
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