The Lay of Mount Petite Jean

Canto XIX: The Attack

Read in Landscape.

Back to the voyage the men now return
Back to their labor that long they had spurn
Leaving their foe who an ally became
Back when their crewman who's Jean they did claim.
On they now go to the land that was good
Place where the sovereign had bid they be stood.

Up on the ship they now file from the shore
Quick from their leisure the sailors are tore.
Bidding to Osage what's peace as they left
Soon would their anchors from river be heft
Up on to deck and the sails would be raised
High to their stations so voyage be made.

Readying ship they did leave from that place
Setting to river in the quickest of haste.
Choosing what stream as their course they would take
Forward with grant of the king as their fate.
Out from the shoreline they quickly now go
Sailing the vessel on which they abode.

Duty returns them to adventurous chore
Long had the sailors from homeland yet bore.
Finding their places on ship once again
Striving so vessel through waters was send.
Slowly through practice their skills do return
Gaining again what was knowledge they spurned.

Back when the crewman as prisoners were took
Long for their fellows the others had sook.
All was now well yet again on the ship
Letting the sailors return to their trip.
Quickly their habits reforged by their craft
Help them to sail on this mightiest raft.

Labor is hard and the days they are long
Still do they work with a will that is strong.
Knowing that grant of the king does approach
Filling their hearts with a longing and hope.
Causing a vigor to hold in their heart
Making them strive in their role and their part.

Gaining again what was ground that was lost
Covering quick what misadventure had cost.
Steady in labor they turn now their head
Down on their work so that hasty their sped.
Hoping no break yet again would be made
Pausing the journey that sailors had made.

Longer than planned had this voyage now took
Great since the days that their homelands forsook.
Wanting with all of their heart to return
Back to the rest that they all had yet earned.
Men did now hasten to the task that's at hand
Fast to return was the whole of their plan.

Longing for families left in their home
Back when they set to the seas to then roam.
Long were the hours at which they now strove
Hoping the effort their venture would goad.
Helping them tarry not longer in land
Moment beyond what was bidden and planned.

Almost a week had now passed for the crew
Slowly as closer to goal they now drew.
Charting their course to the lands of the king
Hoping that fortune their hardships would bring.
Sudden behind them a figure was saw
Growing in size with its mast that were tall.

Slowly does suspicion stir in their hearts
Knowing in depths who would search in these parts...
Men who had plagued them for length of their trip
Wielding their weapons harassing their ship.
Greater it grew in its size as it came
Over to vessel their place to yet claim.

Foolish they paused not believing their luck
Ship yet again by their foes would be struck.
Knowing the men did forbear in their dread
Hasty to railing the maiden now sped
Crying a challenge to ship as it came
Ordering allegiance of vessel to claim.

"What country claims the men who come our way
Now prove your right to course your vessel's laid!
By showing marks on sail to stake your claim
So, men may know what nation sailors deign!

Or ready selves to meet this vessel's wrath
To thieves we'll yield not right to charted path!"

Long was the pause as no words did yet come
Tension was building and all were now dumb
Waiting for vessel to show them it's marks
Hoping that answer would ease their own hearts.
Sudden with fury and haste that was crazed
Flags on the vessel were swiftly then raise.