Gem Stones and Cross Bones

flatholm

Gem Stones and Crossed Bones

Albert the albatross

Met Gary the gull

From their perch

They search the blue horizon

And fly off to find

Where their spirits will guide them

And off and on, they swing in song

In the salty arms of the sea

In the up lifting palms

Of a rising swell

In the vapours which like volcanoes bellow

And toss them and turn them

Like pancakes in the air

Like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire

They dance the midnight air

 

Until they alight on an island

And they’ve been gone for a month long

And the Briny had bind and bridled them

And like husband and wife

They endure much strife

Until the island may find and unbind them

Unwind in curls of curlews

And the coils of the spiralling vines

And the grapes dark juice

Like blood in vermouth

And fresh water they drink from the well

And the sluice will wash

Their feather downs on them

And that let it be said,

What cannot be said

Is that Albert was somewhat of a pirate

And Gary the gull did not know very well

And he went along like an innocent fledgling

To the plots and the schemes

Of the Trosse’s grand dreams

Of what he could stow on the island

And they came one day

To a ship all at bay

With a skull and cross bones a flag it

And as a swarthy swag

Albert swooped down onto a bag

And carried it off down beside him

And the ship’s crew blew

Their voices so blue

The whole sea could have come up from inside them

And they cursed the birds

And what was worst they swore

To track down and find them

Soon Albert and the gull

Had made land fall

And found the swarthy crew not far behind them

Jogging up and down in their boats

Mad as wild goats

Hopping in their rage to the island

Now the bag that Albert took

Was heavy as a book

Weighed down with the words of the lord

But when they opened it up

With a swift cut

They found there the work of no good book

Only that of an evil sword

For there in the black

Lay shining flax

Of gold as if thread to fine hair

And entwined around

A broach and a crown

With a ruby and a diamond set square

Now these gems had belonged

To a king for not long

For just after his coronation

He was mugged while on Royal tour

The jewels lugged to smugglers off shore

And the all the islanders said what an abomination

And these same pursuing pirates they were the culprits

But Albert could not preach from his high pulpit

 On which with Gary now he perched

For he too had become thief

But his life would be too brief

If to its rightful owners he did not make amends and be researched

So Gary stood true

To the Law which he knew

In his innocent way he must follow

And persuaded Albert likewise

To be as wise guys

And fly with him south to the king like the swallow

So off they went

Not soon enough had they vent

When the captain of the sailors he them espied

And taking direction and wind speed

Guessed what course correction they would need

And so in hot pursuit his ship smartly replied

Now to the islands of Fiji

The birds fondly journey

With cusp and a weight to their throw

For as the gull flies, so likewise the crow

(And less so the burdened Albatross)

So like a true cross

This martyred Albatross

Had to carry his weight for mankind

In the one hope to tell

That there would await no true hell

But a Kingly welcome in Fiji they might find

And just like a thief

Albert felt the relief

When he at last confronted his benefactor

And hoping his good news

Would prevent the King from his own abuse

Or shoot the messenger as malefactor

*****

Dropping the crown jewels

And broach at the king’s feet

Who now rode in a caravan of mules down the street

Instead of a crown of gold

He wore a crown made of reed

But his people still loved him for he was only good without greed

Albert spoke to Gary

Look how they tarry

They are in no want of jewels and gold

But Gary said to Albert

They won’t be fooled by the dirt

When they see their stolen crown as brass is bold

So they alighted in front of them

The caravan of mules

And their presence soon arrested it

Like they had brought from heaven some new rules

And between the gap

Albert emptied out the bag of jewels

And the King slapped his lap

And instead of a crown

He wore a hat made of reeds

But his people still loved him

For he was a good king far from greed

Albert spoke to Gary,

“Look how they tarry

They are in no want of jewels and gold.”

But Gary said to Albert

“Do not be fooled, this is no Port Talbot

And those jewels you carry there

Were stolen and not sold.”

So they alighted in front of them

The caravan of mules

And their presence soon arrested it

To a face down like a duel

And between Albert emptied the bag of the King’s jewels

And said here your Majesty, please take back what belongs to you and yours

Well the king was overjoyed

But asked these skyward buoys

Wherefore and how they came into their possession

And Gary smartly explained

That a Captain now complained

And pursued them both with a mad obsession

“He has sailed seven seas

Crossed pacific and Atlantic,

In a condition quite frantic

In his search for a purchase on his lost treasure

And it would be his pleasure

To tear us wing from wing

If he could only catch us at our leisure

But we have hardly slept

For this burden we have kept

To return it to the rightful King

But I fear you may expect

A visit from this prime suspect

At a day and hour soon in the offering

So king and country made their plans

And excited the caravan

To bring the jewels back to his fortress hold

Which though it be a meagre island in the chain of many

The King’s stronghold could not be said to be short of a penny

And for a goodly while the birds felt quite safe

Except for one day when the black flag was spotted bobbing in the bay

And they knew without delay

That come what come what may

The Captain soon would make his appearance in their stay

And sure enough at dead of night

With cutlass and flaming torch light

The terrible pirate gang made their press

And they scaled the high walls

And fired cannon balls

And brought to its knees the King’s fortress

But it was at break of day

On that terrible troubled bay

That the Albatross faced down the Captain

“You may step not forth

On this King’s berth

You must turn back and go the other way.

But the Captain’s steel cutlass sang

A song so close to the Albatross’s pang

That he feared stand long

Or the pirate’s path to cross

Then to his friends need

Came Gary the Gull of brave deed

And pecked the Captain on the nose

Oh what a bleed!

Now as every ship’s mate knows

The Captain’s red, red nose

Is about as weak as papyrus reed

And he hit him on the spot

That happened to be hot

With some Pacific Island type of Fever

And it burst and went on bleeding

All over the King’s ceiling

And the Captain ran off red faced

His crew in tow

 

So let that be a lesson

That it is a privilege and indeed a blessing

To say Bless You to a Captain

When he blows his nose

And even to a whaler

Who bewares an Albatross’s ill favour

And from then on he has been a friend to all good sailors

As this story shows

And your mind may begin to think

Whether Albert and Gary still do link

And a friend informed me who I know quite well

That they yet wander the big lonely drink

Like best buddies they give a wink

And happily climb up over the next sea swell