Ship in a Bottle

The sun shone so yellow, in a sky so blue
As the sails were furled, an’ the hawsers made true.
And right down the gangplank came a bow-legged swabbee
A sailor on leave as he bade farewell the crew.

A port in a town upon faraway sands
An exotic locale for a bright-eyed young man.
With a pouch full of coppers and a spring in his step
Boldly made his way forth into beckoning land.

His salty boots thumped upon pathways and boardwalks
While merchants and longshoremen haggled and talked
And the sailor cast about with a twinkling eye
For fairer complexions and long golden locks.

“Ahoy there young lad!” came a hail from the shadows
The sailor stopped mid-stride to locate the halloos.
A wizened old man called from a dimly lit shop
Whilst beside on the table lay a cat in repose.

“You have the look,” rasped the wrinkled old merchant
“Of a lad who has seen many things in your jaunts.”
“And what of it, old man?” came the stalwart reply
“I’ve little time for banter, tis a lass that I want.”

“Of course, boy , I saw it, from the very beginning!
When you swaggered by my shop with visage so winning.
But pray, come inside. I will show you such sights
As will dazzle your eyes and leave you henceforth grinning.”

The sailor stepped in and his eyes did travail
For upon wooden shelves made fast with twine and nail
Stood bottles upon bottles which lay upon their sides
Holding cleverly crafted wood ships under sail.

“Upon my word,” said the sailor, “I’m quite at a loss.”
Then the cat jumped below and rubbed across
The sailor’s blue trousers in a frenzy of purring.
It was then that he noticed the cat stood upon three paws.

He gazed up above and he saw rising masts
And gunwales and sails and rigging made fast.
The sailor then knew now that he was marooned
Aboard a minisclule ship behind green corked glass.

Eternally sailing the shelf where it sat
The sailor was missed by his comrades for all that
If ever a word to the wise could be heard
Never trust a man with a three-legged cat.