“Sing a song of sixpence,” the nursery rhyme beganthe daily rate of Blackbeard’s crew was paid it to a man
“A pocketful of rye” implied a daily whiskey tot
and ‘Four and twenty blackbirds” was the pirate trap they got.
When they lured a ship too close the trap was sprung with shouts -
a dainty dish for Blackbeard the king of pirate boats.
Blackbeard paid wages to his crew, not just the spoils
the image of a counting house was filled with gold and oils.
The Queen, his ship, in harbour, taking on provisions.
The maid implied a target ship, selected by revision
the clothes its sails put to the wind, to take it out to sea
the garden of the Caribbean, where Blackbeard would be.
'Blackbird the Pirate'
3 ½" x 2 ½"
$25
10 comments:
I've just found this blog. At this rate I'll be back here quite often!
Hi there EB; thanks for dropping by :)
Ahoy matey! Be it pirates day?
It was interesting. On Stephanie's blog she sang this song with an extra verse on the end. I disputed the validity of the extra verse and ended up researching to origin which was, as I pointed out in the poem, was a recruiting song for Blackbeard.
It was? I never knew that. I've always though it was just a nursery rhyme.
They're never 'just' a nursery rhyme!
No, they never are, but this is bloody marvellous! Go you!
You prompted the investigation!
I didn't know that link Rachel, thanks.
Nor I, Gina!
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