LUNA PIRATES (REVISED EXCERPT)
I.
A chandelier of rainbows
tattooed below her eyebrow.
beaten and bruised, Captain Luna
inspected the sloppy crew.
dressed in their business suits
every member, a new recruit.
Luna lit the lamplight but, having the foresight,
she'd have wagered against them in a fistfight.
the nine scallywags in suit and tie,
these scoundrels, nobody skunked.
the captain usually only took crews that sailed drunk.
Taking the rookie sailors on,
the Luna Pirates left port at dawn.
and their peaceful waters did not last long.
an enemy pirate flag appeared
gaining from the rear.
The crew struggled, fighting their men back
and Luna's crew won the enemy's deck.
they felt every prick of sword and gun.
come dusk, the Luna Pirates had won.
pirating is pleasure when you begin your job numb.
II.
Blood of the thieves flows through the seas.
pirates eat peppers and beef, no beef.
down to check the enemy's hold for gold.
some rice, some wine and a chest marked "Oro".
six silver goblets and a black crystal skull.
Luna instructed the pirates, "pack it in".
they soon sailed to port, if they were late, they'd swim.
winding down, everyone involved sought a juicy meal,
and a lead on where they could cut a deal
on all the many things they would steal.
III.
Captain Bart was starved for days
Survived by farming buckets of rain.
his captors him tied up in chains.
dying of his hunger pangs that,
at first boosted his rage.
craving retribution, the thrill of the kill,
but time weakened his will.
His spirits dissolved to dust
as the many dawns turn to dusks.
imprisoned at the naval base,
Bart had failed his suicidal raid.
he infiltrated the barracks in a ranked disguise
the gate guard escorted him to his prize.
the alarm bells took them both by surprise.
Another guard from across the yard
spied an identifying mark of Captain Bart.
from a tower many meters high,
the guard had miraculously spied
a chandelier of rainbows below Bart's made-up eye.
Bart shared the mark with five, there once were six,
destroying the world under Luna's flags and ships.
they took their claim, claimed their fame, and fixed their fill.
IV.
Turn attention to the brig
located back on Luna's ship.
two suits to hang, next day at noon
in effort to mold a stronger crew.
Luna heard the news of Bart's failed raid on the fort
to rescue her friend, she was quick to report;
"Two suits to choose, bury the hatch and
rejoin the crew or suffer the noose".
Docking at the shores of the Port au Port Peninsula.
near the shores they'd docked the night before.
the Luna pirates plotted and schemed,
they worked many theories.
utilizing maps, graphs and charts
until they had a solid plan to rescue Captain Bart.