Davey Jones Locker
 by Joaquin Miller
"looks kinda cute, doesn't he?"

Behind him lay the gray Azores,
Behind the Gates of Hercules;
Before him not the ghost of shores,
Before him only shoreless seas.

So they sailed and sailed.
Day after day after unpaid overtime day:

Until the good mate said:
"Oh dear, oh dear, now must we pray,
For lo!  the very stars are gone.
 Brave Adm'r'l, speak;
What shall I say?"

 "Why, say:
'Sail on .. sail on and on!'"

So they sailed the days into endless weeks.
Until the poor mate appealed for reason:
"But my men grow mutinous day by day
My men grow ghastly wan and weak.."

So the Admir'l nailed a bright shiny gold doubloon to the mast.
With 24 carrots.
And pointing, urged them closer to it:
"Sail on!  Sail on!  Sail on and on!"

 And so they sailed and sailed, as winds might blow.
Upon an endless sea.
Month after fruitless month.

Until at last the blanched mate said:
"Why, now not even God would know
Should I and all my men fall dead.
These very winds forget their way,
For God from these dread seas is gone.
Now speak, brave Adm'r'l; speak and say"

He said: "Sail on and on and on!"

And so they sailed away life's passing years.

Then spake the delirious mate his last:
"This mad sea shows his teeth to-night
with hungry eyes and baited breath.
He curls his lips, he lies in wait ..
With lifted teeth he coils to strike!
Brave Adm'r'l, say but one good word;
What shall we do when all hope is gone?"

The words leapt like a leaping sword.
And then we all heard it once again
and for the last time:

 "Sail on!  Sail on!
     Sail on and on and on!"