Flying Dutchman Poem by Colin Ian Jeffery

Flying Dutchman

(In the winter of 641 the merchant ship ‘Dutchman' sailed
into legend becoming a notorious ghost ship sailing until
doomsday)

Sailing back to Europe
Captain Hendrick Van der Decken
Reached Cape of Good Hope
As a savage storm blew-up
Howling, raging, battering the ship.

Terrified crew pleaded fearing death
Turning back for a safe harbour
But the captain refused
Declaring to sail on through the storm
Treacherous, life threatening.

Thinking he was insane
Crew mutinied taking over the ship
Captain shot the leader of the mutineers
Threw the body overboard
Saying he would sail around the Cape.

Nothing stopping him
Not if he must sail until doomsday.
Devil heard his boastful words
And so began an eternal sailing
Ship manned by lost tormented souls.

Sightings made of the ghost ship
Sails set with rigging bathed in orange glow
Emerging from swirling mist to vanish.
Sailors seeing the ghost ship
Know sighting means death for them.