A Different Ancient Mariner

 "So near and yet so far" he  thought.
" My boat is out of reach!
Those pirates stole my treasure trove
and dumped me on this beach."

The luckless mariner gave vent
to feelings impolite.
(I won't attempt to write his words.
They might give you a fright!)

But as he fretted, trapped in sand,
he came to realise,
his fingers still had room to move.
"Oh my! What a surprise!

"With slow and steady movements
I can claw to reach the top
of this sandy, tight laced overcoat.
My struggles will not stop!"

His fingers scraped and scrabbled too,
and inch by inch they rose
until they broke the surface sand-
though slowly, heaven knows!

But patience was rewarded then.
A new, deep hole he dug
to free his entire body parts.
"There! See? I am no mug!"

And off he rowed to pastures new,
to leave the pirate's life.
He settled for a land-locked job -
and married a rich wife!

Gadzooks! Toads and Magpies make chaps do strange things!