From chumbucket at talklikeapirate.com Tue Dec 19 16:30:58 2023 From: chumbucket at talklikeapirate.com (chumbucket at talklikeapirate.com) Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2023 19:30:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Poopdeck] The Poopdeck, Official Newsletter of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, issue 185 Message-ID: <302038073.22127552.1703032258024.JavaMail.zimbra@talklikeapirate.com> THE POOPDECK The Official Newsletter of International Talk Like a Pirate Day Released at least monthly on the 19th ? because I can remember that. Dec. 19, 2023 ? Issue No. 185 Edited by Ol' Chumbucket --------------------------------------------------- Merry Christmas from Team Pirate It's time to celebrate "that other" holiday. You know, that holiday that isn't International Talk Like a Pirate Day. But this one, Christmas, is pretty good too, so I say. let's celebrate it. Who knows, it might catch on. All of us at Team Pirate ? Cap'n Slappy, Jezebel, Mad Sally and me, Ol' Chumbucket ? wish you the best the holiday season has to offer, whatever holiday you mark. Whether it's Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or any other holiday that's going on this month that I somehow missed. In honor of those let me first give you a link to a a popular song of the season ? altered to amuse the pirate population. It's "Pirate Plunderland." There are many versions of this out there, this is my favorite, taken from our freebooter folksinger friend Tug Bromberg and sung by me many moons ago at a book even in the U.S. Virgin Islands. [ http://tinyurl.com/mry8nepz | http://tinyurl.com/mry8nepz ] Also, in honor of those holidays, let me present a bit of writing that Cap'n Slappy did back in 2008, when we were working on our "Caper" series, telling the adventures of the crew of The Festering Boil, most of whom had ? by amazing coincidence ? had the names of friends of ours, including Cementhands McCormack. As this adventure began aboard ship on Dec. 24, Slappy wrote a Christmas celebration that began with his filibuster version of a well-known poem. Here, from chapter 2 of "The Curacao Caper," is Cap'n Slappy's "The Piratey Night Before Christmas." "Christmas on The Festering Boil was not without its more solemn observations of the holiday. As the moon took its place in the night sky and the stars twinkled in the firmament, Ol? Chumbucket held both hands up to silence the revelers. Every man and woman aboard knew it was now time for the recitation of, ?T'was The Piratey Night Before Christmas.? Lanterns were held to illuminate Ol? Chumbucket as he primed his throat with a swig from his rum flask and took in a deep cleansing breath before reciting; T'was the night before Christmas and all through the ship There was nothing to munch on ? not even a chip. The flagons were empty. The rum was all gone. All pirates were sober and would be till dawn. (The crew moaned on cue ? in keeping with tradition.) With the crew in their hammocks I?d long hit the sack For the watchmen were watchful, there?d be no attack. When down on the wharf there arose such a ruckus That I fell from my bunk on my back and my tuchus. When what to my wondering eyes should appear But Cementhands McCormack and four kegs of beer! (The crew cheered on cue ? in keeping with tradition.) His nosey was rosy from having been drunk But a selfish man, never ? of us he had thunk. He?d gambled with locals who weren?t all that clever ? Such patsies!? he said, ?I could pick them forever.? Doubloons were still spilling from his big britches pockets. ? They gambled their watches, their bracelets and lockets!? But then he had thoughts of his mates on the boat. ? What good are my winnings? To whom can I gloat?? And then he remembered there was naught to drink And this made him thoughtful ? the big man would think. ? Well, it?s Christmas? he thought, ?And there?s nothing to do ? Should I blow it on harlots? Nah ? BOOZE FOR THE CREW!? (In keeping with tradition, the crew recites the phrase, ?BOOZE FOR THE CREW!? with Ol? Chumbucket followed by traditional raucous cheering) So the big man bought kegs, he bought bottles, a flagon. And he piled them up high in a little red wagon That he dragged 'cross the cobblestone streets of the town Some bottles fell off and the flagon fell down But he grabbed the last bottle, in his pants he did tuck it. ? This one?s for the captain ? and his pal, Chumbucket!? What joy there arose when he finally arrived For the lack of the drink made the crew feel deprived Now they toasted and boasted, they guzzled and swilled Had the wagon been bigger, they would have been killed By alcohol poisoning ? no doubt about it But it wouldn?t be piratey Christmas without it. And the big man, he bellowed before he got plastered, (Here, the crew joined in the final line, followed by raucous cheering ? in keeping with the holiday tradition.) ? MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU PIRATEY BASTARDS!? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: