The Ballad Of The Pirate Queens - By Jane Yolen

The autumn seas are deep and dark
In Port Maria Bay;
The tunny fish all leap and sport
Around the bustling cay.

"What news, what news?" the people cry.
"What news bring you to town?"
"The governor has sent his ships
To pull the pirates down."

"The governor has sent his ships
With cannon all a-bristle,
And on the silver sea they sail
Just like a stinging thistle."



And silver the coins and silver the moon,
Silver the waves on top of the sea,
When the pirate ship comes sailing in,
That gallant Vanity.



Now one small sloop that flew the black
Was Rackham's Vanity,
And it was manned by twelve brave lads
Upon the roiling sea.

When it was far and far rom shore
Those twelve brave lads were ten,
For only on the sloop was known
That two of them weren't men.

Through only on the sloop was known
That one was bonny Anne,
And one was Mary Reade who dressed
Exactly like a man.



"What news, what news?" the people cry.
"What news bring you to town?"
"Barnet has sailed his man-o'-war
To pull the pirates down."

"Barnet has sailed the Albion
Upon the autumn sea
To capture Rackham-'Calico Jack'-
And the gallant Vanity.

He slipped the western point of land,
All on that autumn day,
And there the pirates lay in wait
For their accustomed prey.



And silver the coins and silver the moon,
Silver the waves on top of the sea,
When the pirate ship comes sailing in,
That gallant Vanity.



The autumn seas were deep and dark
Near Poin Negril that day.
Two pirates stood upon the deck;
The rest, below, did play.

The rest, below, did drink and sport,
While up above the two
Kept silently their daily watch
For Vanity and crew.

"A ship, a ship!" did Mary cry.
And Anne cried, " Man-o'war!"
But down below, Jack and his men
Did drink and sport some more.



And silver the coins and silver the moon,
Silver the waves on top of the sea,
When the pirate ship comes sailing in,
That gallant Vanity.



"A ship, a ship!" did Mary cry.
"Come up and lend a hand."
But Rackham and his merry men
Came not to her command.

"A ship, a ship!" then Anne cried, too.
"Or else we will be taken."
But Rackham and his merry men
Their duties had forsaken.

So shoulder to shoulder and back to back,
Stood Mary and stood Anne;
Never was it said that they
Were feared of any man.



Then one and two and through and through
Barnet's men plied their blades,
Until they'd overpowered both
Those doughty pirate maids.

Until Barnet had overcome
And brought them both to shore
Aboard the mighty Albion,
That bristly man-o'-war.

"What news, what news?" the people cry.
"What news bring you to town?"
"The Vanity is captured,
And two pirate queens brought down."



And silver the coins and silver the moon,
Silver the waves on top of the sea,
When the pirate ship comes sailing in,
That gallant Vanity.



The winter seas were dark and cold
Around Jamaica isle
When Anne Bonney and Mary Reade
Were readied for their trial.

They marched along the prison walk;
They passed Jack's cell block by.
Called Anne: "If you'd fought like a man,
My Jack, you'd need not die."

"If you had fought right by my side,
This day we'd both be free,
A-sailing in the open air
All on the silver sea."



The pirate queens before the judge
Each pleaded for her life.
"I am about to have a child;
I am a pirate's wife."

"Oh, you may be a pirate's wife,
Or by a man beguiled,
But never would I hang a maid
And kill the sinless child."

So Calico Jack and all his crew
Hanged on the gallows tree,
But bonny Anne and Mary Reade
Were by the judge set free.



And silver the coins and silver the moon,
Silver the waves on top of the sea,
When the pirate ship comes sailing in,
That gallant Vanity.



And they say still on autumn nights
In Port Maria Bay,
Where tunny fish all leap and sport
Around the bustling cay,

A ghostly ship sails to and fro
Above the silver waves,
Then Jack and all his coward crew
Rise anxious from their graves

To sail the endless ocean round.
No! Never at rest get they.
But Anne and Mary's children's cildren
Round their households play.



And silver the coins and silver the moon,
Silver the waves on top of the sea,
When the pirate ship comes sailing in,
That gallant Vanity.







---Im not typeing up the authors note too. XD ---