It’s 1606 as we hunt the high seas
For ships of gold, silver or gem stones.
We eat moldy cheese, dried apples and fish
Till the crew in all are mussels and bones.
None of us expect to live past 40
Seeking to prosper and we don’t care how.
There‘s a bounty to be paid for each man’s head
Dead or alive where condemned men now.
Our guns are many from the ships we’ve seized
With their cannons of bronze as valuable as gold.
We have extra sails to harness the winds
Providing speed to out run, overtake and hold.
Sometimes we spare our captives for ransom
Sometimes because we need their gender.
All become slaves and we their masters
Fearing the unknown and who must surrender.
Bloody pirates to the man we have become
It’s the only life we know how to live.
After death will keep our date with fate
Facing justice with our past to forgive.
By Tom Zart
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