So, I don’t want to write about the plague today, or creeping (galloping?) fascism in the good ol’ USA, or orange mold in the White House, or any of that depressing stuff. So, why not a gratitude list? And a bit of pirate humor, which is always in the best of taste.

This week I’ve been grateful for:

literary events and classes on ZOOM
online recipes that actually produce good meals
weekly family visits online
the peach tree, the avocado tree, and the lemon tree
AAA (I had a flat yesterday)
and AA too just because (I don’t mean American Airlines)
Carolyn Forche’s new book of poetry (1^st in 14 years!)
And, PIRATES. Always be grateful for PIRATES.

Speaking of which, I was reminded on Facebook this morning that on this day five years I was prompted to write a pirate poem. To wit:

Prompt from poetic form maven, Lewis Turco:

“Once upon a midnight dreary
As I pondered Wallace Beery….
[complete the poem]…”

I complied.

**************************

Once upon a midnight dreary
As I pondered Wallace Beery
Who played a quaint and curious pirate
Of classic Stevensonian lore
Dancing on his pegleg wooden
Drinkin’ whiskey, eatin’ puddin’
Never quite to get his foot in
My locked and shuttered chamber door
I saw him in my dream condition
As for treasure I was wishin’
And he told me don’t go fishin’
In the streams of blood and gore
Stay at home in landlocked glory
Don’t set out in search of gold
Though you be quite poor and boring
At least you’ll get to grow quite old

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And now, fellow muse punkers, I challenge you to respond in the comment section with your own poem or a pirate joke.

The point mateys, is that no matter how bad things get, they can always be made verse!

Yo ho! Yo ho!