Absent Mind Poem by Douglas Scotney

A sailing boat
out of control in a gale
sailors say is in irons.

A poet on board
who caused that state
by never absorbing the lingo,
sailors should call a Shelley:

who steers in a lubberly way
(turns tiller starboard not port):
loves 'Luff up! '
without being sure of its meaning;
who's slow with 'In the wind's eye! '
'Helms over! ' and 'Ready about! ';

who forgets that a sheet is a rope,
more in mind that a reet is a shope.