New Year's Day/ Legs!

brebry@gmail.com

NEW YEAR'S DAY

The world and I are both both pristine!

I'm the most pristine I've ever been.

Last year's faults are washed away;

I'm reborn on New Year's Day!

 The date has given me absolution,

To every problem the solution!

Vows I broke last year are mended!

Hurts I suffered then have ended.

I promise myself some habit-changing,

Some very much needed rearranging.

I feel so confident and serene.

I'm actually rhyming with

THIRTEEN!

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LEGS!

Before the 1840s, when the sailors went to sea

They lacked the obvious benefits of female company!

So, when the ship sailed into port every sailor had the right

To ask a lady-friend on board so she could stay the night!

(The sailors slept in hammocks, in a very communal way,

So about that situation there's little I care to say!)

Let's move right on to the morning, when the sailors had their duties

And they weren't allowed to hang-around with their nocturnal beauties.

The boatswain's mate came round to see the state of all the pairing;

Which hammocks held one body, and which others showed signs of sharing!

'Show a leg!' he'd bellow as he strode between the ranks,

(As you can guess the sailors didn't offer up their thanks!)

Everyone had to show a leg, be it quite smooth or hairy,

A prospect I'd have found to be quite definitely scary.

The Boatswain yelled 'Jump to it, boys! Ain't no man can refuse!'

The 'ladies' were allowed to snuggle down for one more snooze!

So next time you yell 'Show a leg!' as you quite often do,

Remember that you owe those words to the boys in navy blue!

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