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The Pirate’s Code Poetry Prompt

By Heather Eure 7 Comments

the pirate's code poetry prompt
Even pirates had their standards. One of the most famous and successful pirates was Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts (1682-1722). He was a Welshman who worked diligently with the crew of his ship, the Royal Fortune to draft bylaws in 1722. This was the pirate’s code. Here are a few of his actual rules and regulations:

  • Your Vote Matters

    “Every man shall have an equal vote in affairs of the moment. He shall have an equal title to the fresh provisions or strong liquors at any time seized, and shall use them at pleasure unless a scarcity makes it necessary for the common good that a retrenchment may be voted.”

  • It’s Best Not to Steal

    “Every man shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes, because over and above their proper share, they are allowed a shift of clothes. But if they defraud the company to the value of even one dollar in plate, jewels, or money, they shall be marooned. If any man rob another, he shall have his nose and ears slit, and be put ashore where he shall be sure to encounter hardships.”

  • Leave the Gambling to the Landlubbers

    “None shall game for money, either with dice or cards.”

  • Stay on Your Toes and Be Battle-Ready

    “Each man shall keep his piece, cutlass and pistols, at all times clean and ready for action.”

  • Worker’s Comp for All

    “Every man who shall become a cripple or lose a limb in the service shall have eight hundred pieces of eight from the common stock, and for lesser hurts proportionately.”

Pirate Poems: Try It

If you were the captain of a pirate ship (first, give it a name), what kinds of rules, regulations, or standards of conduct would you enlist? How would you enforce these hard and fast rules? Create a poem about the bylaws you’ve instituted aboard your vessel. You can also write a poem about the bylaws above.

Don’t forget to be good to your hearties, or they’ll mutiny.

Featured Poem

Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here’s a poem from Andrew we enjoyed:

A Retired Sailor Seeking Work

I am he who the poet said once flew
The sound-fraught bay, vex’d the dim seas
And sped the globe around to chase
The rainy Hyades.
I’ve smelled the ocean brine
And knew it well – each curve,
Each twist of its tempestuous swell
Laid open for my eyes.

The far-off wooded cove oft struck my sight
When on the sea-tossed boards,
And often when the ship was slow
Strained forward, ever forward
With thought and mind in equal store
Yearning to set my foot upon the distant shore.

But now a sea-dog left to dry,
I while away the dreary hours,
Well liked, and oft remarked to cry
“Oh how I’d sell my soul for but one fee,
To ride once more upon the rolling sea!”

Yet I am old, and age hath left me
But a shadow of my youth,
Kept nothing of my features bold,
But graven on me the likeness of death.
The blood that courses in my veins is cold,
But not from just the passing years.
You may not see it, who hears this tale
But I have wept a thousand tears
For every week away from Neptune’s hold.

Take me on board and I will serve
As faithfully as God does man.
Let me once more feel land’s retreat
And I will kneel down at your feet,
The broken remnant of a broken sailor.
Once, I fought on land and sea for glory,
For distinction well deserved. And such I won,
But it does me no favour now
When I must ask with bated breath
If when you leave this god forsaken isle
Your crew will house an extra one.

—by Andrew

Photo by Oona Räisänen. Creative Commons via Flickr.

Browse more pirate poems
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How to Write a Poem 283 high How to Write a Poem uses images like the buzz, the switch, the wave—from the Billy Collins poem “Introduction to Poetry”—to guide writers into new ways of writing poems. Excellent teaching tool. Anthology and prompts included.

“How to Write a Poem is a classroom must-have.”
—Callie Feyen, English Teacher, Maryland

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  • Author
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Heather Eure
Heather Eure
Heather Eure has served as the Poetry Editor for the late Burnside Collective and Special Projects Editor for us at Tweetspeak Poetry. Her poems have appeared at Every Day Poems. Her wit has appeared just about everywhere she's ever showed up, and if you're lucky you were there to hear it.
Heather Eure
Latest posts by Heather Eure (see all)
  • Poetry Prompt: Misunderstood Lion - March 19, 2018
  • Animate: Lions & Lambs Poetry Prompt - March 12, 2018
  • Poetry Prompt: Behind the Velvet Rope - February 26, 2018

Filed Under: Blog, Pirate Poems, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, Themed Writing Projects, writer's group resources, writing prompts

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Comments

  1. Rick Maxson says

    April 11, 2016 at 10:29 am

    ‘Round the Wind

    ‘Tis the good ship, Bless the Wind
    sailed proud in the sea of mind.
    Up the mast I made my way,
    with the birds and the clouds I’d play,
    a Kidd with the pirate kind.

    For hours to the land, I’m blind,
    young wings in a tamarind,
    far from home on a branch I’d sway.
    On my good ship!

    To the way of the world, I sinned,
    not for torn pants, nor knees skinned,
    but I’d ventured beyond home’s cay,
    where I was commanded to stay.
    For now, I dream in my room, disciplined.
    On my good ship!

    Reply
    • Heather Eure says

      April 12, 2016 at 8:10 pm

      This is darling, Rick! What a brave adventure.

      Reply
  2. Glynn says

    April 12, 2016 at 9:52 am

    The Sea Witch meets democracy

    Well, me mateys, we be changing
    how we elect our captain
    of the Sea Witch, the bane
    of the Spanish Main

    we have some rules now,
    on how to behave now,
    among our pirate brethren
    and among our prey

    put the sword down
    fool, or I’ll use it
    to slice a smile, permanent
    on your ugly mug

    as I was saying
    we have new rules,

    pass the rum, you blighter,
    I need a swig.

    You elect your representatives,
    the pirates of council,
    nicely, now, without killing,
    or maiming, or slicing an arm
    of a leg or two,
    and I appoint a few worthies
    as super-pirates of council

    well, yes, an ear or finger
    might be permissible

    and they come together
    to meet in session,
    a session of pirates,
    to elect the captain
    of this fine ship of state,
    our Sea Witch.

    We do it proper, now,
    with votes, beating our swords
    into oars, but I should mention
    the captain retains a veto
    on who walks the plank
    and how the shares divide
    but that’s only right and fit

    and if you don’t agree
    I’ll veto your head
    with a sword right here
    and now

    we be democratic now,
    we vote proper now,
    and the Sea Witch
    will never be the same
    now.

    Reply
    • Heather Eure says

      April 12, 2016 at 8:13 pm

      Haha! Oh, the commentary! I’ll be quoting this phrase all week: “as I was saying
      we have new rules”

      Reply
  3. Monica Sharman says

    April 12, 2016 at 3:35 pm

    Bask in the sunshine; you may
    next moment be battered on the rocks.
    Plan everything. Escape
    when you can. Keep all
    wisdom in two words: wait
    and hope. When you wish
    for death, you will later know
    how good it is to live.
    Dread pen and ink
    more than pistol.
    Keep silent. Speak
    every language
    without accent.
    Remember: what has
    once been done
    may be done again.
    Devote your life
    to your enterprises.
    Take no food or drink
    in the house of your enemy.
    Take every name
    but your own.

    (a found poem from The Count of Monte Cristo)

    Reply
    • Heather Eure says

      April 12, 2016 at 8:14 pm

      Oh! The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorites. Thank you for “finding” a poem in it!

      Reply
  4. Monica Sharman says

    April 16, 2016 at 10:42 pm

    So I was using Mango Languages to relearn Japanese and found out that “Pirate” is one of their language options:
    https://www.mangolanguages.com/available-languages/learn-pirate/

    Reply

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