Mad Jack's Last Voyage

The fateful day dawned clear and cold, Mad Jack's last voyage in search of gold, he'd filled the coffers of the king, now 'twas time for his own brass ring. His ship was fabled for terror at sea, Mad Jack wasn't sure just why that might be. Captains embarrassed at losing their gold, concocted the tales and let them be told. It started the day they found Peg Leg Bill, scavenging wrecks, gathering gold at will. The dead and dying were scattered about, they saved who they could then sailed on out. When the flagship sailed in they were disbelieving, all this destruction and just Mad Jack leaving. Not seeing the fray that had gone on before, they believed a captain who had washed up on shore. Jack's frightening legend had grown to this day, when he faced three gold laden ships out in the bay. Their crews had laid down with fear were shivering, when Jack came on board their lips were quivering. All was silent while they loaded the gold, they kept stacking until they filled up the hold. When they were done they bid them adieu, and tipped their hats to this docile crew. All of a sudden with the last hat doff, the foolish young captain set a cannon off. As fate would have it, it wasn't a dud, it hit the side of the Queen with a sickening thud. Meg readied her guns with her special powder, it made triple the smoke and was even louder. She lit the fuses on all twenty guns, the ensuing cloud hid the Queen from the huns. When the smoke finally cleared the Queen wasn't there. The brash young captain knelt an offered a prayer. Then celebrated his cunning and vicious attack, on being the one who had sunk Mad Jack. A ship was for sale that was painted green, underneath no one noticed the black of the Queen. Where was Mad Jack, his elan, his flair? Safe with his mates in the Pirate's Lair. Written March 28th, 2002 © on Mar 28 2002 06:14 AM PST   0 • 10