Standing tall at the tiller was Olde Captain Dane.
The dapper young fellow carried only a cane.

A signal from Dane and the anchor was lowered.
Nodding approval, “To the boats,” he ordered.

The Reliant had an obedient crew.
Jumping as one, each knew what to do.

Boarding the boats, they rowed with a purpose.
Oars sliced the water, dotting foam on the surface.

The trip to the shore was but a short reach.
Soon, with whistle and holler, they stood on the beach.

“’Tis a short hike, ‘bout only a mile,”
The Captain announced to all with a smile.

His men gathered ‘round
as he studied the ground.

“Head straight to the crest,
then ten steps to the left.”

For an hour or more, they searched for the mark.
When they had found it, they dug until dark.

They dug, and they dug.
Dane swatted a bug.

Darker it fell, as each took a turn.
“Light we must have; find something to burn.”

Then digging like crazy, in the flickering light,
“Eureka!” shouted a seaman named Mike.

With a thud, then a clang, the chest it was found.
Hooray, they all shouted upon hearing that sound.

“Pull the chest out.” Dane merely shrugged.
With ‘nary a motion he swatted a bug.

Seeing the chain, Dane whispered to Fred.
“Break that lock,” was all that he said.

Fred, the first mate, picked up a rock,
and hammered that old rusty lock.

He hammered and battered,
until the rock, it did shatter.

Dane shook his head.
“Did your best there, Fred.”

Calmly raising his cane, he counted to three.
Then thrice smote the chest and the lock fell free.

Softly he whispered to Sid, “Go ahead, open the lid.”
Slowly Sid did. Sid opened the lid.

They gasped when they saw.
They fell silent in awe.

Inside was the gold.
Of which they’d been told.

And on top of the doubloons,
a pair of old pantaloons.

Tapping the chest again with his cane,
“Fill your pockets,” said Olde Captain Dane.

The crew filled their pockets.
The crew filled their shoes.

While Dane, ignoring the doubloons,
quietly put on the old pantaloons.

From a dusty old pocket, he pulled out a locket.
He opened the locket that he found in the pocket.

Then to the crew, he read the inscription.
He read the inscription with perfect diction.

“I hereby bestow all honor and fame.
To him who found this, could only be Dane.”

Hip, Hip, Hurray, yelled the crew in reply.
But for the Captain, none would have tried.

Dane merely smiled. “It was indeed my pleasure.
To sail with you and find this treasure.”

Then Dane closed the locket that he found in his pocket.
And with no hesitation, slipped it back in his pocket.

Spinning around, he turned like a cat.
He smiled at his men. “Now, where’s my hat?”

— David L. Dahl (c) 2016

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Hello, I’m David Dahl. I thought that I would open the holiday season with a poem – my first attempt since  Mrs. McCoy’s class two score years ago. Do let me know what you think of it.

When I’m not being Bugga (grandpa) I do some woodworking and write children’s books. My latest is Olivia’s Story:Protector of the Realm.

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Read about my other books at buggasbooks.com