The Lay of Mount Petite Jean

Canto X: The Boarding.

Read in Landscape

So men prepared themselves to fight their foes
Who sought to bring on heads of crew a woe,
And gain through violent theft what labor gave
Thus sending sailing men on down to grave.

For surely many times these men and thieves
Had wracked and many sailors former grieved.
To make an act so bold as thing they do
For certain might the men did former prove,

And thought that thieves could easy claim the ship
That men had took on mighty sailing trip.
Thus fearing little failing task they sought
With aid of mighty weapons men had brought.

But fate of death the men would surely fight
Now aided well by captain's cunning might.
A man who surely trained in ways of war
As part of noble man's own princely chores.

For many tutors' hands his mind did mold
To make the man a warrior great and bold.
That sure could lead the sailors forth to war
So ship from hands of men's not hasty tore.

So all did heed the orders prince now gives
To follow captain only hope and bid
They have to stave the pirates off from ship
They're give by king to make this mighty trip.

That men might fight the thieves' own wretched siege
Thus saving selves from fate that's deeply grieved.

"To the cannons I order you men to now go and to fight,
And there load them with powder and pack in them shrapnel and steel.
There we'll send to them shots that will show them our might

So that attack abates when the blast of our fire they feel.
Now I bid you to fight for your lives, if not know they're forfeit
To the men who do seek for our goods and our vessel to steal.

And don't think that they'll leave you if things that they want they do get
For these pirates won't spare but a handful of men on this ship
They will only yet take from the crew who is best and the fit

From the rest of us all that we hold as yet dear will be ripped."

Now quick to war the men in haste did go
For all now knew they faced their deepest woe.
To stations sailors go to halt their will
In hopes that warring ways of thieves be stilled.

Preparing cannons, manning fortress well
For sailors feared the price if courage failed.
Then strapped their sabers tight on waist at side,
And deep in hearts their fears and doubts they hide.

Now counting cost they'll pay to fall yet short
How thieves will make of crew a gruesome sport,
And send them down to depths in wat'ry grave
Where many men who crossed their paths were laid.

Now waiting men did seek for orders gave
That captain makes to fend away their grave.
Not daring move or breathe a single breath
Like most who know they face uncertain death.

Now onward pirates' raft through waters ripped
Preparing assault launched on prince's ship
In hopes to take from crew their present bode
That sailing men do strive to fastly hold.

Then sudden ship with blacken sails does turn,
And hopes of prince's crew does try to spurn
By drawing cannons down on ship they live
In bid that greatest hurt the men may give.

Then captain orders ship to sideward bank
Exposing port along with cannoned flank.
The pair of vessels passed the others way
Then fired weapons loud and entered fray.

And wood did splinter much at sound of blast
As screams were cried by men then downward cast
Into the water sinking deep below
For down to death these sailors quickly go.

Then after pass a smoke did choke the air
From cannon blast that sailing men had dared
Along with many cries from men who wounds now bore
When flying shrapnel flesh and limbs had tore.