Sunday, 19 September 2021 05:24 pm
The Golden Age of Piracy
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deckardcanineThe Golden Age of Piracy is oft portrayed on screen,
But accurate depictions aren’t so regularly seen.
Few pirates dressed flamboyantly or buried any loot.
They never made one walk the plank, although they could be brutes.
They’d wave a friendly flag until the target got so near
That when the Jolly Roger flew, there’d be no sailing clear.
They hoped for a surrender with no battle being fought.
They rarely kidnapped anyone, despite what we’ve been taught.
Most crews had sets of rules, including curfews, rather strict.
The captain of a ship would democratically be picked.
The language of the pirates is perhaps the biggest hoax:
They had no special accent, and they talked like other folks.
Indeed, they didn’t isolate themselves so very much.
A lot of them had loved ones, and they liked to keep in touch.
They planned to stop their crime sprees once they’d made a pretty haul.
They boosted town economies by spending it withal.
They even did some charity, which won them many fans.
Politicos at times protected pirates in their lands.
It helps to know what circumstances led them down that path:
Conditions on the merchant vessels sure inspired wrath,
And many poorer people simply didn’t have much choice.
A bunch of former slaves joined in; at last, they’d have a voice.
Apparently, contemporaries hadn’t much to say
On piracy because it was the order of the day.
It seems the most barbaric of the Golden Age emerged
Toward the end, and that was why the bulk of it was purged.
But lest you think that piracy is gone for good, take care:
Some waters see a lot of it, and I’m not going there.
But accurate depictions aren’t so regularly seen.
Few pirates dressed flamboyantly or buried any loot.
They never made one walk the plank, although they could be brutes.
They’d wave a friendly flag until the target got so near
That when the Jolly Roger flew, there’d be no sailing clear.
They hoped for a surrender with no battle being fought.
They rarely kidnapped anyone, despite what we’ve been taught.
Most crews had sets of rules, including curfews, rather strict.
The captain of a ship would democratically be picked.
The language of the pirates is perhaps the biggest hoax:
They had no special accent, and they talked like other folks.
Indeed, they didn’t isolate themselves so very much.
A lot of them had loved ones, and they liked to keep in touch.
They planned to stop their crime sprees once they’d made a pretty haul.
They boosted town economies by spending it withal.
They even did some charity, which won them many fans.
Politicos at times protected pirates in their lands.
It helps to know what circumstances led them down that path:
Conditions on the merchant vessels sure inspired wrath,
And many poorer people simply didn’t have much choice.
A bunch of former slaves joined in; at last, they’d have a voice.
Apparently, contemporaries hadn’t much to say
On piracy because it was the order of the day.
It seems the most barbaric of the Golden Age emerged
Toward the end, and that was why the bulk of it was purged.
But lest you think that piracy is gone for good, take care:
Some waters see a lot of it, and I’m not going there.