"Kings Men"

by David Townsend (Jan. 5, 2004)

As we continue to age in spite of the warmth of the sun.
And being that it is here,
In advance of myself, come near,
Here's how my journey really begun.

"Desertion is punishable by death",
So in the "Articles" it says.
I'm a leanient man Mr Churchill, don't hold your breath,
Shown by your example, it doesn't pay.

"Stand Down" I say,
Have you not heard?
Punishment's been administered,
The bo'sun will no longer play.

Mr Morrison, if you please,
Take that man off the rack,
Mr Ledward, sir,
Please tend to the wounds on his back.

The sooner we are seaman again,
The better it will be.
For we are all bound for Jamaica,
To deliver the Breadfruit tree.

You've had these many months ashore,
And now we are at sea again,
It's time you all shape up,
And act like the Kings men.

They'll be no slackers aboard this ship,
We'd not left England this way,
You'll not go back to her in disarray,
You'll act the 'Kings men' by the end of this trip.

And so Mr Fryer, Mr Christian, if you please,
Get these damn poor execuses of henchmen,
Up in the yardarms in the breeze.
Mr Nelson, come along at your ease.

Burkett, Millward, and you Jack Smith,
You'll tend to cleaning decks.
The Captians orders are no myth,
This ship looks like a wreck.

Mr. Heywood, sir, look lively at the helm,
Who do you think you are there, not watching the wind?
The Bounty will not tack, she'd be outside her realm.
Bring her off to starboard a point, for she'll not resend.

Now Mr Nelson, that we've the day underway,
What say we check the Breadfruits condition of state.
Shall we go down below, if you please lead the way,
We'll get them all to Jamaica at any rate.

Thus was a day in the life of us all,
For gone is my ship, my life and my mates.
No longer can we see the Bounty's mast so tall,
It's been 40 days in this little boat I so hate.

I'm not an agent of Salvation,
I'm only a man amongst you all.
I have no medical revelations,
For I'm not a man of God, called.

Now that our backs are against the wall.
And our brothers have turned us out,
Let us pray Providence keep us from the fall.
Worthly of grace to be spared, hear us, we shout!