trobaire.org

a collection of literature from poets, bards, songwriters, and skalds in the SCA

Love Is Blind

Poem (Canso): 
His only true love was a sailing ship
And he never had time for her
But she had to admit he was quick on his feet
To and fro, here and there, just a blur.

He shipped with his captain, a one eyed old man
Who it seemed was quite fond of the rum
And he turned that eye blind to Tom’s to-ing and fro-ing
Although Tom seemed to frequent the slums.

The old man and Tom and their crew came and went
To far shores, sailing o’er the foam
They’d ship in and unload and turn right back ‘round
And she sigh’d, and stayed patiently home.

This sailing and shipping went on for some time
And she thought that Tom probably strayed;
“But since he’s not mine and will likely ne’er be
I’ll just have to survive, I’m afraid.”

He was nice enough to her, when he was in port
(for as long as the money held out)
And when every last doubloon of money was spent
He’d sail on, free from worry or doubt.

The years passed this way, and ol’ Tom, he slowed down
Though he still could “turn to!” with the best
And she waited and waited as he came and he went
Sailing east, sailing north, sailing west.

Then one day it happened! – and Tom was replaced
By a younger and hardier soul.
By some chance t’was her port where he was turned out
But the years, they had taken their toll.

He no longer moved with the panache that she loved
And he sported a scar on his head
But he was still her Tom! As he stood at her door.
“Why DID they replace me?” he said.

“It’s so good to see you,” she purred in his ear
And she offered her comfiest chair.
“So you say they’ve replaced you?” and he growled back, “Yes!”
And she said, “Well, he won’t have your flair.”

They sat and they talked of the years they had seen
And conversed about this and of that.
But she finally said as she lapped at her milk
“Tom my boy, you’re still quite a good cat.”

“I’ve always loved you,” they said to each other
And they said it at quite the same time.
Which was good for Ol’ Tom, because, truth be known,
It’s good that, for cats, love is blind.