Yo Ho, Yo Ho!

by Sidney Bending, Michael Dylan Welch, and Margaret Rutley

First published in Presence #75, March 2023, page 79. Originally written in June and July of 2020.

old pirate ship

a young mate asleep

in the crow’s nest Sidney

an empty treasure chest

down in the hold Michael

galley grumbles

hardtack biscuits

with weevils Margaret

seaheave drumming

of his peg leg Sidney

land ahoy!

even the parrot

has an eye-patch Michael

on edge . . . the bosun

sharpens his cutlass Margaret