The Things I Leave Unsaid

68. Egoistic Misfortune

The words flowing out
much like white flags a' flying.

Shown out on the seas
as giving up; no more trying.

But the seamen are stubborn
and the nautical surrender,

Is taken for a bloody
cannon-firing offender.

Too bad for the poor weaklings
All on board the pretty boat,

Who set sail like
they were higher than gods,

Yet soon found it difficult
even to float.

The other ship tried to allow them to go back,

But pride was a factor in their decision to attack.

And now the table's turned, and the shot's all ringing out

Are well deserved and asked for,

And the men can't even shout.

Egoism is detrimental,
Too heavy for tossing into cargos below.

So leave it back on land or risk
A horrifyingly bloody show.

But now it's too late, they brought it along,
And not one man among them is strong,

Enough to see need to wave the white flag,
And admit the cold fact that
yes, they were wrong.

The men on board run
to and fro but in vain.

Holes in the siding,
Shouts below slowly wain.

The ship was a beauty
But not carefully maintained,

Large and expensive,
Those on board all explained.

But when guards go down,
it's not hard to get over,

And so opposing sailors
had few troubles taking over.

Captain Fantasy's head
drops down onto his knees.

God is resisting
the outcry of pleas.

Maybe there's cause,
maybe there's reason.

But possibly not,
and all's left is the treason.

They keep up the fighting.
but the others are arriving.

So little for them all to be dying for.

But who really wants
to survive all this hardship,

When the prize is only
a shot and sunk ship.

Laying down and waiting
seems like the only option.

Leave them be please,
they will soon be forgotten.

Keep their heads above the water only just in time for

Captain Life to come a' knocking,
And kick down their every door.

Denial's hiding everywhere.
Nothing is okay.

But instead of simply acknowledging,
They just shoot the prospect away.

Never really fighting,
But to some it looks that way.

And that's the real cold issue,
All the ignorant boasts they made.

And how they overestimated
their large pretty ship,

And when challenged forth,
in their bed, were laid.

I don't even know if this makes sense. It's kind of two ideas tossed together into one poem and it came out pretty funky and weird. Basically it's a little story starting out with an amazing ship that everyone thinks highly of, and the sailors on it are too full of themselves so when they're attacked by another ship for entering their lands, they have no doubt they will win no problem. The other ship tries to sail away and surrender eventually, giving them a pass to go through the water without anymore trouble but the cocky sailors want the victory of taking hold of the other ship and ignore the white flag of surrender, instead continuing the fight. They end up losing. Moral? Don't let your ego take hold of you. Be reasonable and if offered peace, take it even if it's not the coolest most prideful option.