The Black Death

Originally published in Copperfield Review Quarterly Winter 2022

THE BLACK DEATH

The Black Death, not a rat brung it, but fleas

that. Fleas, I say, miserable creatures

misery in their wake and sailin' with us.

Keep a clean bunk they says, Oh, Aye, and who

has time for a clean bunk, Sir? Rats, and fleas.

Not I. Ship is my home, my length, my width,

tacking windward carryin' along Black Death

The first mate knows when he's sailin' with risk

there's danger signs in winds and seas, but we're

bringin' a cruel fate to an innocent

land with our hold filled with Black Tragedy.

Reviews

[MoriartyMesa]

The word's of a seasoned deck hand, with a wood pipe and a sharp left eye.

[W. Barrett Munn]

Thank you for reading this. This was my first published poem (Copperfield Review Quarterly), and that editor has accepted another for their November 2022 issue.
Winston

[Ranger Kessel]

There is still one and only species in Siberia known to carry the plague. Lets too e they first mate doesnt know.

[Harmony.Txx]

Wow.. The first mate knows when he's sailin' with risk
there's danger signs in winds and seas, but we're
bringin' a cruel fate to an innocent
land with our hold filled with Black Tragedy. I love it.

[W. Barrett Munn]

Thank you, Harmony. It took a long time to find that last stanza-the Muse was quite coy about it.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

The good old Bubonic Plague; the ring around the rosie of childhood fame, the scourge of civilization through overseas exportation. At least nobody was breeding the fleas in an overseas laboratory to study the disease. I wonder what the folks in 14th century Europe would have thought about our Covid pandemic. An interesting write, F.

[Relic]

I've read about the Black Death. I believe Poe wrote about it. I like this being it's from a sailor's point of view. The diaolog fits the character of the ones speaking.

Nicely done. :)

[W. Barrett Munn]

Thank you, Relic. Just goes to show that it is possible to get published in a literary journal from the slush pile.

[Relic]

think of all the good ones that didn't. :)