A bit of a digression but it helps set the stage.
is how I'm called by those who know
of how I got this patterned face
A few years back off St. Ignace
Seems that I'm a wee bit queer
I'm been left of hand for all my years
But what makes me odd and took its toll
I'm left of eye too bless my soul
I always shoot from port by chance
Most others use a starboard stance
I have a flint lock fowling piece
Made just for me if you please
The powder pan is left not right
To keep the flash from out my sight
One night aboard the good Laird Jake
A rowdy crowd tried to take
My cargo away against my will
And Jake as well to pay a bill
Now Jim and I both like to be
Armed and ready when at sea
These gentlemen made a pretty show
Till I fired rock salt nice and low
But bad luck I had picked Jim's fowling Piece
so the flash caught me full on my right cheek
When all was done Jim smiled a tad
Said my face was pretty patriot hue
All mottled right red white and blue
Like a Calico dress his mother wore
So the moniker stuck but I'm not sore
As master of the good Laird Jake
I'm Calico for fortune's sake
Poetry by josephus
Read 543 times
Written on 2019-03-12 at 00:28
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Part II The Laird Jake...Calico Joe
My name is Joe but Calicois how I'm called by those who know
of how I got this patterned face
A few years back off St. Ignace
Seems that I'm a wee bit queer
I'm been left of hand for all my years
But what makes me odd and took its toll
I'm left of eye too bless my soul
I always shoot from port by chance
Most others use a starboard stance
I have a flint lock fowling piece
Made just for me if you please
The powder pan is left not right
To keep the flash from out my sight
One night aboard the good Laird Jake
A rowdy crowd tried to take
My cargo away against my will
And Jake as well to pay a bill
Now Jim and I both like to be
Armed and ready when at sea
These gentlemen made a pretty show
Till I fired rock salt nice and low
But bad luck I had picked Jim's fowling Piece
so the flash caught me full on my right cheek
When all was done Jim smiled a tad
Said my face was pretty patriot hue
All mottled right red white and blue
Like a Calico dress his mother wore
So the moniker stuck but I'm not sore
As master of the good Laird Jake
I'm Calico for fortune's sake
Poetry by josephus
Read 543 times
Written on 2019-03-12 at 00:28
Save as a bookmark (requires login) Write a comment (requires login) Send as email (requires login) Print text
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Lawrence Beck |
