H/work for w . 7.2.17 - HEARTS OF OAK

[Maureen K Clifford]

HEARTS OF OAK ... Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBark Poet

He stood the second dog watch - watched the sky turn pink then dark,
he kept a sharp look out for frothing foam,
that indicated rocks or shoals in this ocean so large.
He was eighteen - this his first trip from home.

The HMS Supply left Spithead in the month of May
the day was fine and people thronged the shore
waving their handkerchiefs as the Supply sailed through the heads
and some alas would see their home no more.

They escorted the transports out to the antipodes
the stink of them left taint upon the wind -
the cat o' nine tails rose and fell, the decks were red with gore,
they keelhauled some - those times were far from kind.

'twas a harsh learning curve for this lad freshly out of school
his upbringing 'till then had been refined.
"This trip will make a man of you" his Grandfather had said.
No doubt he thought it so - though undefined.

Midshipman Daniel Southwell came ashore with the First Fleet -
planted the flag - a part of history,
he toed the line and soon he was mentioned in dispatches.
Promoted to Lieutenant whilst at sea.

I wonder, when you whet your whistle this Australia Day
if any give a thought to this young bloke
who left the loving arms of Mother, family and home
to sail the oceans in small ships of oak.

***Daniel Southwell started out as a midshipman on the HMS Sirius then transferred to the HMS Supply

[Shelley Hansen]

Very topical, Maureen! So many untold stories out there from our early days - I'd love to know them all!

Cheers
Shelley

[Maureen K Clifford]

Me too - I always reckon if they taught history via poetry more people might remember it - after all most kids remember the verse about the boy stood on the burning deck although usually they remember the rude one