Sunday, February 01, 2015

778 - The Captain

Sunday Whirl (Wordle #197) presents a list of words
that we must incorporate in a writing piece.  
The words this week are:

rescue, patron, day, measure, spread, race,
state, host, spend, ticking, cloud, humility

Ther might be just a little bit of Australian politics in this...


The Captain

“Who will rescue us?”, the people wailed
As their ship is tossed yet slowing,
“We don’t well like where we’ve been
And have no idea where we’re going”.

“The Captain’s lost his marbles
Since the day he came to power,
It’s not what ticks that makes us fret,
It’s the cuckoos, on the hour.”

“His guiding light is Saint Lizzardtongue,
From the land of Déjà vu;
The patron saint of those remorseful folk
Who should repent but never, ever do.

Humility is a foreign state
As he races around the deck,
On a bike, in Lycra shorts,
With a knighthood around his neck.

In fairness to this hapless dolt,
He hosts a motley crew,
All of them are a slimey lot,
Like pots of playschool glue.

The people fret in the cargo hold
While the crew ignore their howls
By any measure, they distort the truth 
And then spread it on with trowels.

So the days are spent on the cloudy seas
With a Captain, none too bright;
The compass points them straight ahead
But he steers them to the right.

“Who will rescue us?”, the people wailed
As their ship is tossed yet slowing,
“We don’t well like where we’ve been
And have no idea where we’re going”.
 .
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© J Cosmo Newbery 2015
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17 comments:

  1. At least the Captain is convinced of his competence. And of the loyalty of his crew...

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  2. I do believe you have a little nautical Wonderland going on here J Cosmo - hats off to you my Captain!

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  3. That is Australian politics for you, the blind being lead by a blind fool. It is a real farce or something that sounds like that.

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  4. i interpret this as a euphemistic social political statement.

    we're all in this boat

    gracias

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  5. I'm afraid there are many hapless dolts in charge.

    Thanks for brightening my morning with this amusing poem!

    Pilgrims Awhirl

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  6. Brilliant in whole and in funny little details. Of course, I love the trowel. Many encores for splendid satire.

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  7. I like the poem, the last two lines in particular.. so true.

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  8. Ha.. there are so many captains lacking a clue of where they are going.. I think this might apply in more cases (and there are those straying left, right of even in circles).. love political poetry.

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  9. heh...we must be careful who we choose to follow....for they may steer us well away from where we thought we were being taken...def see the political nature of this...

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  10. Ha...I think this has universal relevance.

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  11. The imagery you offer is as stellar as the painting. I could not help but consider this: Howe many of us cry out for another to lead us, guide us, save us? How many of us understand the strength and possibilities within?

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  12. Oh I am in love with this poem.....

    'By any measure, they distort the truth
    And then spread it on with trowels.'

    between the media and the politicians they spread it on thick

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  13. This is such vividly captivating imagery:
    "All of them are a slimey lot,
    Like pots of playschool glue."
    I love it!!

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  14. I enjoyed your poem. Loved the rhythm and the rhyme - now that's poetry!

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  15. Love this. And using the first and last stanza to tie it together is very clever.

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  16. Oh my God. Our world, in a nutshell. And I do mean nut. LOL. I LOVE "It's the cuckoos on the hour". Hilarious, witty, and right on the money.

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  17. I found this very humorous.

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