phobiairaqlove

phobiairaqlove

Monday 2 May 2011

Chapter 21: Alabaster Tribute


      

       Many, many years ago
       I climbed the stairs at work
       To seek an engineer unknown,
       To ask him for a berth.

       So then upon the quay one day
       There stood a motley lot,
       But Tony moulded us like dough
       To form a winning yacht.

       So then for years we forged a soul
       To do battle on the seas,
       And regularly at seasons close
       A trophy we would seize.

       Summers came and summers went
       As weekends I did crave
       To share a joke and a beer
       With the new friends I had made.

       And then there were the cruises,
       Organised to a tee,
       Morning snack at ten o’ six,
       Lunch at twelve fifteen.

       But amongst the merriment
       Tony always got us home,
       There always was a steady hand
       As one trip clearly showed.

       Tucked in behind an island
       The anchor should have been a tree,
       We found ourselves quite worst for wear
       At the mercy of the sea.

       But Tony took the tiller,
       Local knowledge it did came,
       He found shelter in a tiny cove
       That barely had a name.

       Then after many races
       Commanding from the stern
       Tony turned to me and said,
       “It’s time you had a turn.”

       So each week I’d approach the line
       With a crew as loyal as could be
       Proud and honoured that Jude and Tone
       Would trust their pride and joy in me.

       And then as fate would have it
       A change was in the air,
       Armin left the foredeck,
       I wondered how we’d fair.

       Then off to the land of the kiwi bird
       As dead as they may be
       Enough to give the Dennes the taste
       That there’s much, much more to see.

       So wherever you may travel,
       And how ever far you roam,
       You always will be in the thoughts
       Of the friends you’ve left at home.

       So thank you Jude and Tony
       For sharing your yacht and home,
       Thanks for all the memories,
       And Tony, have a great five-oh.

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