Squirrels! Here is my favorite submission yet. It’s from Erich in Austin, Texas. It’s a poem in response to my pirate dream. And it’s BEAUTIFUL. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

- Neil



serendipitous & nightly times

cinematic pirate lights

in dream-state whisks

& drifts along to seven seas

& dream-state Waits

sweet refreshment via flask

underneath seaship masts

unsure of the compass truths

while in the distance sweetness lies

on sugar canes and foreign leaf

above the Caribbean abysmal reef

seasick worth across the waters

olden truth & sub-life crisis

maiden’s set to fall-in west

with the sun as night brings rest

alone as once we all were born

cracking far from oceans shore

coal and soot, some laden men -

cannot fit peace in pirate’s den

for life’s a ballad laid in red

all our fate resides in she -

maiden of the western sea

three knocks sent aloud a noise

that brought the dreamer from his knee

standing slightly, awkward poised

excitement lit like kerosine

familiar faced and laced in joy

the captain let a loud “Ahoy!”

for Patti Smith had taken ship

and Neil Young rejoiced

all relief soon followed suit

to fickle sirens, played in loop

faces lost their happy tone

when ol’ Tom Waits really gone

she said his presence meant a bit

about a sudden change in rift

but soon Cortez swept about

and taken from the captains mount

and flew across the barren seas

with all the birds, two sets of wings

sudden power had been made

our dreamers fate had been erased

and brought anew alive and well

the story of the Kings black veil

and all the ones who followed him

they brought along the looming dim -

light and sounds that shook the earth

when Captain Jack demanded worth.