PoemCaptain Stratton’s Fancy
Author / PoetJohn Masefield
TagsDrink, Jamaica, Rum

Oh some are fond of red wine, and some are fond of white,
And some are all for dancing by the pale moonlight:
But rum alone’s the tipple, and the heart’s delight
Of the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.

Oh some are fond of Spanish wine, and some are fond of French,
And some’ll swallow tay and stuff fit only for a wench;
But I’m for right Jamaica till I roll beneath the bench,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.

Oh some are for the lily, and some are for the rose,
But I am for the sugar-cane that in Jamaica grows;
For it’s that that makes the bonny drink to warm my copper nose,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.

Oh some are fond of fiddles, and a song well sung,
And some are all for music for to lilt upon the tongue;
But mouths were made for tankards, and for sucking at the bung,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.

Oh some are fond of dancing, and some are fond of dice,
And some are all for red lips, and pretty lasses’ eyes;
But a right Jamaica puncheon is a finer prize
To the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.

Oh some that’s good and godly ones they hold that it’s a sin
To troll the jolly bowl around, and let the dollars spin;
But I’m for toleration and for drinking at an inn,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.

Oh some are sad and wretched folk that go in silken suits,
And there’s a mort of wicked rogues that live in good reputes;
So I’m for drinking honestly, and dying in my boots,
Like an old bold mate of Henry Morgan.

John Masefield
John Masefield
1 Jun 1878 - 12 May 1967
Region: Northern Europe
Period: Modernist
Movement: Georgian Poetry
Awards: Order of Merit

more poems by John Masefield

Poem NameTopic
Trade WindsCaribbean, Dance, Island
The Yarn of the Loch AchrayNautical, Sailor, Ship
The WandererClipper, Sea, Ship
The LemmingsInstinct, Lost Hope, Migration
The West WindHomecoming, Nature, Nostalgia
The Tarry BuccaneerAdventure, Pirate, Sea
The Island of SkyrosDeath, Graves, Memory
The Everlasting MercyRebellion, Reflection, Regret
Sea FeverAdventure, Freedom, Longing
RoadwaysBeauty, Journey, Sailor

all poems by John Masefield

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