Suffer In Cold Or Burn In Fire Poem by Captain Cur

Souls of pirates in the sea
despondent in their misery
whale oil lanterns deny them sleep
forever burning in the deep.
Each day they all gather round
on the ocean's silty ground;
ruled by water, ruled by death
lungs that can't exhale a breath.

Here they try to build a ship
with lifeless arms and speechless lips,
elaborate blueprints traced in sand
washed away by the ocean's hand.
Their Captain's shadow haunts the rocks
in heavy chains and rusty locks;
they fear to set his spirit free
and named him, "Devil of the Sea."

Now they face a new quagmire
suffer in cold or burn in fire,
so each one casts his final vote
to free the man or cut his throat.
Their Captain knows his fate is near
quieting himself his mind grows clear
in the rock for years he etched
a ship his men could sail in death.

From the edge of the horizon
a mighty ghost ship from the deep
her rising masts ringed with lightening
crewed with dead men roused from sleep;
her bow broke through the waters
where the waves of time are breached
our Captain shouting orders
a new world in our reach.

(This poem continues in:
"Making Love To Her The Sea, Pirate Oaths, I.")