Page 24 - Poetry-Whimsy

A Ballad

Containing and narrating strange and remarkable adventures, and
a catastrophe too extraordinary for belief; the whole, somewhat
suggestive of Robin Hood.

I. In which the hero is described.

Jack Johnson was a farmer’s lad
As bright as bright could be;
He knew not what the sea was like,
And ran away to see.

II. In which the previous occupation of the hero is
dexterously contrasted with his new employment.

The ship puts out, its sails are set,
And soon they catch the breeze;
Jack, many times had seized a plow,
But ne’er had plowed the seas.

III. In which there is a description of the fare of the hero,
with a neat allusion to Egypt, most apropos to the Obelisk.

His bed was bad, his fare was worse,
His coffee naught but slops;
They lived on pork piled higher than
A pyramid of Ch’ops.

IV. In which a peculiarity of the vessel is set forth.

Jack worked quite hard, he calked the ship,
That better she might swim;
Oft when he tried to pitch the ship,
The ship it did pitch him.

V. In which a dreadful storm arises.

The life on board that ship was hard,
A cross without a crown;

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