Being A Pirate
I was ploughing the Main in full sail, on the M62.
Captain Jack Tansy – Pirate,
armed to the teeth, weapons shining,
searching for new recruits at my next gig –
a junior school in Manchester.
The journey was fraught with danger.
Getting a broadside from a tanker,
in my small vessel is a constant dread.
I faced off many shots across the bow,
arriving safe, sound and twice as large as life.
During the morning
I taught my young crew the rudiments of sailing
and what I expected from a good pirate.
Break-time found me hunting down a mug of grog.
I happened upon a new, female crewmember
talking to a landlubber-slip-of-a-girl.
Your captain really scares me, said the landlubber.
No, he’s not scary, he’s wonderful, replied my loyal crewmember.
Pretending not to hear, I walked on, smiling.
Gordon Jackson. Metropole Court,
Whitby. 24th Aug. 2010. 4:00 p.m.
Captain Jack Tansy aka Gordon Jackson
This poem was written by Gordon Jackson at Whitby, and over the next few days I will be sharing more of his poems. And he really IS a retired pirate!
Angela Topping 