Story Written by Patricia Weaver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flying Dutchman by Howard Pyle

From the Dutch part of India, the ship sailed from the east
From the Cape of Good Hope they slowly approached a great beast

The captain and his crew in search of true love
Had hoped that the storm would soon cease from above

The ship rocked back and forth while the crew moaned with fear
In rage, the captain shouted 'Judgment Day could be near

But I will continue to sail until I find what I need!'
See it was love that he needed to add to his greed

Suddenly the storm became ferociously worse
Satan heard the captain's demand and placed an evil curse

'You will sail these stormy waters until the end of time
There is only one thing that shall break this spell of mine'

'You need to find a woman to give you her heart
She must stay loyal and loving until death do you part

For if she betrays you, your worse nightmare will come to life
You will forever be a ghost and will never have a wife'

'I will give you some chances to let love fill your heart
But you must learn patience for they will be seven years apart'

The captain, short-tempered became wild and mad
How could Satan inflict him with something so bad?

On the first seventh year the ship approached a new land
The captain found a woman and asked for her hand

Although he desperately wanted to break the wicked hex
He suffered such trauma; he couldn't trust the other sex

'You're unfaithful! I know you're involved in an affair!'
The captain yelled at the woman with his piercing red glare

In shock she was desperate so she jumped into the sea
Causing the captain and his crew to never again be free

As phantoms of the deep they would never return
They would haunt the black waters; a real life they'd now yearn

Author's Statement

I was born in Spain and raised in Maryland. I am a Communications Manager for Bank of America in Wilmington, Delaware. Creative writing has always been a hobby of mine that started at a very young age and still continues today. In the third grade I wrote my first book and by age 12 was selected for the Gifted and Talented Writing program. I enjoy and have written several poems for friends and family, most often inspired by real life experiences. My favorite poet is Shel Silverstein who also wrote my favorite children's book, "The Giving Tree." When it comes to my interest and skill in the arts, I have my parents to thank. My father is a gifted musician and my mother is very talented in the area of arts and crafts.

Back to Winning Stories