The Last Captain (in Response to the Rhyming Words Challenge by Chris Mills)
Background
A fellow hubber Ann's response took me to the original challenge by Chris.
The challenge was about using the following words in a poem that have no apparent rhyming words, and finding the closest words that rhyme with them.
- silver
- purple
- month
- ninth
- pint
- wolf
- opus
- dangerous
- marathon
- discombobulate
Whenever I hear the word silver, it reminds me not of the shiny metal, but of the character Long John Silver, from the classic "Treasure Island". I always had a wish to offer a tribute in my own way to Stevenson's most popular work, and now I got my chance, thanks to this challenge.
The Poem
His name was Long John Silver
As the dawn turned to dusk
His blabber became glibber
On the grill, he was intense
A deceived chop, with sauce purple
Beets he placed instead of meat
Made the crew’s mouths gurgle
They sailed on the fourth month
Anchored on the ninth
At the island hundred-and-oneth
The treasure may not bind
John’s mean men went deep
From the forest howled a wolf
Gripping his wooden leg
John made a maddening swoop
Out came hares and boars
The pirates danced, fine dined
Barrels of rum de-boarded
All got more than a pint
No treasure and barrels empty
John’s crew set sail
Battling through tides dangerous
The ambience on board mutinous
It all happened at midnight
Rebel loose, the men broke
John’s wooden leg askew
A new voyage, a new marathon
Began with the new dawn
A new captain to be named
A new chef to lay the fire
The story narrated by my niece
Got my mind to discombobulate
Fierce drama, in a little mind
Fire in a glass, did encapsulate
I sit here, by my warm hearth
Dedicating a piece of the opus
To the last of the bold pirates
John, the captain ferocious
© 2018 Rinita Sen
Related
Forked Memory Lane - Response to Ann's Challenge; A Short Story
Poem 'Geraint the Siever', Response to Rhyming Challenge from Chris Mills; Poem 'Hocus-Pocus' and a Challenge of My Own
Short Story 'The Long Man': Response to My Challenge, Chalk Figure on a Hillside; Background Information
How to Read Poetry and Enjoy It
Comments
It's a neat pirate's tale with words that don't rhyme. Some people just got it. I'm not up to this one.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Chris. This was a difficult but enjoyable challenge. Happy you were interested in my pirate's tale.
Well, I read this a long time ago and put the link with the other responses, but I failed to comment here. Well done, Rinita. Thank you for offering this fine pirate's tale in the form of a poem as a response to my challenge.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Peg. Glad you were entertained. Yes, your take around the beets is sure funny, and makes perfect sense!
Great job in putting those difficult to rhyme words to use in such an entertaining way. Those pirates didn't like beets. I agree. That would be grounds for mutiny.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Frank. Glad you liked my contribution.
a very promising result to the challenge.. awesome :)
- AUTHOR
Thank you, manatita. Glad you agree!
Nice attempt and yes, Robert Louis Stevenson was cool!
- AUTHOR
Thank you, John. I am glad this was enjoyable. Thank you again for visiting my contribution.
Rinita, I always enjoy a good pirate tale and Treasure Island was one of my early favourites. This was a good response to the challenge and very enjoyable.
- AUTHOR
Thank you for visiting, Li-Jen. Yes, I agree the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' cast and crew gave the audience some very memorable pirate stories.
Hey Rinita, I enjoyed your poem! Reminds me of the drunken Jack Sparrow acted by Johnny Depp. The "blabber became gibber", "leg askew" ,"captain ferocious", "island hundred-and-oneth" are my favourite lines. Thanks for sharing! :)
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Ann for for visiting my response, and of course, you are very welcome for the link!
Very good, Rinita! This is fun; a great response to the challenge and a great tribute to Treasure Island.
Thanks for linking to me as well, that's kind of you.
Ann
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Verlie! This challenge was brain-racking, and so much fun! Glad it worked out.
Perfect Rinita, what a wonderful sea shanty. Your rhymes are impeccable...Kudos!
- AUTHOR
Thank you, mactavers. I am glad it was amusing.
You met the challenge in a most amusing way.
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