National Poetry Month

In honor of National Poetry Month today we are publishing an original poem about Blackbeard and Lt. Robert Maynard by frequent Ocracoke visitor Robb Foster.

Teach's Light

With blackened beard and wild claim
Did Satan, sail the Spanish main
This demon’s sword that made men swoon
That Hades spat from Bristol’s womb

Upon the sea with evil’s wrath
Did Edward sail from little Bath
What spark did light this hellish beast
That rendered sailors to their least?

As William Wire, could once attest
This wicked warrior would not rest
Hell chased him to Honduras Bay
What next, these sailors cried, dismayed?

So mortified by old nick’s wrath
And knowing not one other path
"Abandon ship!", would be their rail
To spare them from his wanton gale

Beseeching loud amongst the land
And seeking justice on the sand
Impugn this Governor Eden’s fraud!
Who reigns our Carolina flawed!

Lieutenant Maynard took the seas
To answer honest planter’s pleas
Swift with sword and sure of shot
He bade the hellion to his lot

Lt. Robert Maynard

But as his soul took to the sky
This Edward Teach gave one last cry
“You mark my words as I retire!
I’ll send you all to hellish fire!”

Those final words leapt to the air
As darkening clouds, began to flare
The wind, it danced on wicked thoughts
Then dead, the calm, his evil bought

The prudent sailors, none can blame
Will turn their backs upon the main
If northern winds can tatter sheets
Lose your desire to jam the cleats

Scoff if you must, call quaint my verse
But stronger men show lips that purse
When on the water dances bright
The far off fire of Teach’s light

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Ocracoke Water Tank Caper. This is the link: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032117.htm.