Cardiff Barques by Ewart Richards

With sail cloths billowing and holds
laden with black gold, the Cardiff barques
sailed through the roaring forties,
Cape horn and the Antipodes.

From Africa, America, Greece, Egypt
and India, men and boys of all faiths
joined the three and four masted barques.
They navigated by the moon and stars, sextant
and chronometer and prayed for fair winds
to take them across the oceans

In raging seas, sturdy timbers groaned.
Men and boys strained on ropes and
scaled sodden Jacobs ladders,
where many an unwary sailor
met his God.

Becalmed beneath cloudless skies and
burning sun the crews prayed for fair winds,
and cursed Neptune’s moods.

Months or years later the barques returned
their holds laden with cotton, jade and fruit.
In the pubs of Butetown, men and boys drank
to their safe return,
and remembered those that didn’t.