Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FLYING CLOUD, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FLYING CLOUD, by                    
First Line: "my name is henry hollinder [or, edward hollander], as you may understand"
Last Line: But die a sad and scornful death down in this foreign land
Subject(s): Pirates; Piracy;buccaneers


My name is Edward Hollander, as you may understand,
I was born in the city of Watertown, in the far and eastern land.
I being young and in my prime, and beauty on me smiled,
My parents doted all on me, I being the only child.
My father bound me to a trade, it was in Trenton town;
He bound me to a cooper there by the name of William Brown.
I served my master faithfully for eighteen months or more,
Then I shipped on board of the Ocean Queen bent for Belfrazer shore.
And when I struck Belfrazer shore I met with Captain Moore,
The commander of the Flying Cloud belonging to Baltimore.
He cordially invited me a slavery voyage to go
To the burning shore of Affaric, where the sugarcane does grow.
The Flying Cloud was a clipper built, four hundred tons or more;
She could easily sail around any ship that sailed from Baltimore.
Her sails were as white as the driven snow and on them not one speck;
She had thirty-two brass guns, my boys, she carried upon her deck.
And in a short time after we had struck the African shore,
Eighteen hundred of those poor souls on board with us we bore.
We made them walk out on our planks as we stored them down below;
Scarce eighteen inches to the man was all that she would go.
The very next day we set to sea with our cargo of slaves.
It would have been better them poor souls had they been in their graves.
For the plagued fever came on board and swept one half away;
We drew their bodies up on deck and hove them in the sea.
And in a short time after we struck the Cubian shores,
We sold them to the planters there to be slaves for ever more,
To hoe in the rice and coffee fields beneath the burning sun,
To worry out a wretched life till their career was done.
Our money soon being spent and gone, we set to sea again,
When Captain Moore came out on deck and spoke to all his men:
"There is gold and silver to be had if you'll with me remain;
We will hoist aloft our pirate flag and scour the Spanish Main."
We all agreed but five young men, who told us them to land.
Two of them were Boston boys and two from the New Foundland,
And one was a young Irish lad belonging to Trymoor.
I would to God I would have joined those men and went with them on shore.
We robbed and plundered many a ship while on the Spanish Main,
We caused many a mother's heart an orphan to remain;
We made them walk out on our planks and take a watery grave,
For the saying of our captain was, "A dead man tells no tales."
We were often chased by many a ship, both frigate and liner, too.
It was all in vain across the main as at our stern they flew;
It was all across the Spanish Main with their cannons thundering loud,
They could not catch the Ocean Queen, they dreaded the Flying Cloud.
It was all in vain of them catching us, till the Dreadnaught came in view,
She fired a shot across our deck, a signal to heave to.
We gave to her no answer, but sailed before the wind,
When a chance shot struck our mizzenmast; it was then we fell behind.
We cleared our deck for action then, as she hove along our side,
And first across our quarterdeck there flowed a crimson tide.
We fought till Captain Moore was killed and eighty of his men;
Then a bombshell set our ship on fire -- we had to surrender then.
They took us down to Rulawarp bound down in iron chains
For the robbing and plundering of ships at sea while on the Spanish Main.
It was whisky and bad company that made a wreck of me;
So, boys, beware of my sad plight and curse all piracy.
Now I will bid adieu to the shady grove and the girl that I love dear,
Her voice like music soft and sweet I never more shall hear;
I never shall kiss those ruby lips or stroke the lily-white hand,
But die a sad and scornful death down in this foreign land.






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