Lady Luck (Vi) Poem by David James

'Luck be a lady! '

A pirate captain decreed, as he played
his daring hand. He risked a ship from
his very own fleet, raising the stakes up high.
The consensus around the table groaned-

'fold! '

Except for a womanly bard,
whom so boldly yelled the words

'I'm in! '

'Pray tell bard what have ye got
that can match mine ship? '

The pirate condescended with a
confident leer; making sure that
every miscreant in the room could hear.

Calm of manner, hushed of tone,
brave bard bated the pirates arrogance
with nought but defiance.

'Tis a parchment of old, if truth be told;
twill match your ship's worth ten-fold.'

'To what trickery is this?
For thine parchment must be made of pure gold! '

The Moth and Ivy became a conduit
of laughter as infectious as
'twas impetuous. As bold as brass
the young bard retorted fast

'You jest and make a mock of me
for nay a trick is this! '

A parchment of old the bard did unfold
to reveal a map to uncharted lands
and promise of riches that were so vast,
it had struck the pirate captain aghast;
suppressing the laughter with fits of gasps.

Only the filch'er did notice
through all the catharses
that the bard had beguiled the pirate
of a scheme no other man would dare to dream.

He kept this revelation to himself
out of admiration for the bards
captivating display of stealth.

With coup d'oeil and sleight of hand
the uncanny bard had won the hand.

The pirate captains enraged reaction
to palm the hilt of his sword,
was thwarted by a meticulous flurry
so sudden it had sent him toward the floor.
Forsooth; he may have won,
had he nought been so loose of rum.

The well crafted sabre the bard did wield;
moved quicker than the eye could see.

The sabre hummed to a stop atop
a quivering Adams apple,
where it did linger and bob
along with every sob.