Magellan Poem by Charles Garcia

Cap’n Oh! Cap’n Land on the Port side,
Cap’n Oh! Cap’n Land on the Starboard side,
Mountains everywhere silhouette against the sky,
The sea on the rise, steadies at the helm southeast
Breeze, soundings if you please.
Cap'n Cap'n The main sails to full capacity, for the
Sea is in a rage; gunwale are awash,
Violent as she blows, the mizzen sails
In full bloom fore and aft, We pray for seas to calm,
Oh! Not too soon.
Cap'n Cap'n orders: Cap'n what to do?
For she sails 5 knots or more, it’s up to you?
We be on uncharted waters, not on the maps
And there are mountains everywhere, port and
Starboard too!
Cap'n what am I to do? 5 fathoms deep our last
Call to you!
Careful in the crows nest secure your lanyards for if
You are to loose your grip, the body drops not up but
Down, as the gales are with us two days or more,
No let up to be found.
We be off course, no one knows, Cap’n I can see the
Shores, the plea I make profound, our reckoning not
Valid anymore.
Slowly, Slowly the ship to move onward from beneath,
Fear not my mate, as I am Captain of this Ship as Magellan
Is my name and sail this ship in the name of my
Beloved King, I carry Portugal’s Flags to place
As I so deem. This land to belong to our beloved
Portugal, God blesses our King.
Therefore I shall name this passage as the
Straight of Magellan from this day on,
So be it for everyone to see.
For I Magellan have discovered the shortcut
To another sea as this new shortcut is not named
Yet, as Navigators, Columbus, Cabrillo, Sir Francis
Drake, or maybe me who ever gets there first.
We shall see!
Roll up all sails my mates, dropp anchor I shall
Take a look around perhaps leave a flag or two,
For this a great day for everyone, as no more
Sailing around the Horn, as we shall sail graciously
Alleviating the most dangerous trip of them all,
The Horn. I Magellan Master of them All.


charles garcia
Feb 11,2004