Barnacle Bailey

As our ship set sail across the sea

we’d talk of home and family.

Songs were sung and tales were told

of acts of courage in days of old,

when pirates roamed the sea at night

sailing their ships by the pale moonlight.

 

But one story, it seemed, stood out from the rest

'bout a hearty Boatswain who withstood the test.

A loyal mate, steadfast and true

with hair of gold and four legs too.

Ol' Barnacle Bailey could chew a bone,

 bark like a sailor and smelled of home

 

It was one dark night when the ship was asleep

he heard a noise so on the deck did creep.

Some pirates, it seemed, had stole' aboard

to steal some gold and to its own ship hoard.

 

Well Bailey would have not of that

and lunged at the pirates approaching the hatch.

His bark woke the sailors who jumped out of bed

grabbed their muskets and cleared the deck.

They wrestled the pirates to the ground

then tied them up and headed home.

Bailey was a hero that day

and made  head Boatswain

with an increase in pay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Author's Note

The photo is of my dog Bailey wearing my father's sailor hat and a piece of rawhide for a cigarette.

Reviews

[olla]

I have one of my own... not a sailing mate but my boon companion non the less.. If I decided to put to sea he would be the first to hop aboard AND manage to watch my back at the same time.. I live by the sea as well so this one caught my eye with the title.. well executed tale..

[Dara]

Thank you Olla :-) I am happy that you could relate to my little saga. Those four legged companions are hard to beat.

[Samuel Dickens]

Dara, you've outdone yourself with this right salty seafarin' tale! Oh, it just warms this old sailor's heart. The fine words, together with that amazing photograph of Bailey are a true work of art. Both sailors and dog-lovers should flip over this.

[Dara]

So glad it may have brought back some fond memories Sam :-) It was a fun write and the image was a plus although it was a long, stretched out photo op lol. Thank you, too, for your input. As you know I have a soft spot for sailors having a WWII Navy vet for a father.