An Old Salt’s Christmas Story

By: Fee

“Aye a story you want you say?

A bedtime story no less.

Well all right little ones, climb up here on these old knees

and I’ll see if I can recall…oh yes now I member.”

Twas on the rocky shores of Newfoundland

Not too far from the town of Torbay

That the fair ship the Rowdy Piper

Was making lots of steam on that sad day

A foul snowstorm gale was a blowin

She took on too much water in her hold

The skipper tried his best to save her but

…she was just too worn out and old

The skipper to the mate did yell

Our only hopes to ground her on the shore

If not our good crew and we are doomed

To sail this cursed ship for evermore

He took his bearing off the Torbay Light

Glowing red to lead them by the deadly bar

But when the red light flickered and went out

They heard the sailor’s Angels praying from afar

The skipper and mate had no way of knowing

Their SOS had been received that fateful night

The brave townsfolk all had quickly gathered

To try to restart or fix that treacherous light

The women huddled praying for those sailors

The menfolk paced flustered angry on the shore

What could they do to save the Rowdy Piper

Sadly no one there was really sure

Then a little girl in her Father’s arms

Her plan she whispered in her Father’s ear

He hugged her and called all hands to action

Come quick and all gather and listen here…

Back on the Piper the skipper stared into dark defeated

Then through the haze and snowflakes he saw a tiny fleck of red

A ray of hope, a Christmas miracle perhaps it was indeed

It grew brighter, yes me son, till it blazed a path ahead

The Rowdy Piper beached on sand and all hands were saved

And from the shore they heard the voices sweet and true

Of Torbay’s folk a caroling gathered round a Christmas tree

With every light on it a brilliant bright red hue…

“Goodnight, Jaime Lee, goodnight Lily, goodnight Patrick…Poppys tired now.”