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The Ballad Of
Blackbeard
Jessica Hepworth
A long, long time ago a fearsome pirate roamed the sea,
With brutal skills and great bravado, from him they all would flee.
His breath was bad, his habits worse, was nothing that he feared,
This man was Edward Teach, also known as the Blackbeard.
On his ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard would roam the sea,
He broke the law but didn’t care, a fearless pirate he.
He spent his life attacking ships and gathering much treasure,
Before releasing captives he would take their clothes for goodmeasure.
Everyone knew to fear Blackbeard, no one dared cross his path,
For townsfolk dreaded the day that they would hear his roaring laugh.
When one poor man refused to give the pirate his precious ring,
Blackbeard chopped that finger off clean, he was not forgiving.
Blackbeard held a gathering with song and lots of rum,
And many pirates and friends of his, were all asked to come.
Blackbeard celebrated his insouciant, intrepid life,
But little did he know, all his plans, they were in strife.
For the governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood,
Heard of Blackbeard’s meeting, ordered; ‘Get rid of him for good!’
He sent two sloops, commanded by lieutenant Robert Maynard;
‘Let’s hoist the sails! Come on men, let’s make sure they don’t get far!’
As the dawn approached, the pirates espied the enemy sails,
But Blackbeard wasn’t scared at all, this fight he would not fail.
The pirates prepared for battle, they knew that blood would be shed,
‘Let’s blast their ships and destroy their pride!’ the savage
Blackbeard said.
The canons roared, hitting their targets, the pirates venting their
spleen,
But then they cheered, one navy ship had been blown to smithereens.
But there was another, whose captain had a very cunning idea;
‘Hide under the decks, for then they’ll think we abandoned ship
in fear.’
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