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Saturday 25 January 2014

THE UNKNOWN SAILOR

                                

                                    The Sailor's Stone, Hindhead, Surrey, England.



There wasn't a living Soul could fix
nor even hope to allay
the atrocity of seventeen-eighty-six
on that grey and misty day,
when with the soil his blood did mix
as his life force ebbed away.

He did not die a natural death,
the unknown sailor, that night.
It was footpads who stole his final breath
as he traversed the lonely height
of Hindhead's sandy heather-bound heath
with the Devil's Punchbowl in sight.

In his own defence he struck no blows
for his assailants came from behind
to batter him where the thick gorse grows -
a place they considered no one likely to find
his corpse when they left it to decompose
beneath weeds and ferns entwined.

They ran off with his few possessions:
his clothes and a guinea or two,
without a thought of how such transgressions
might affect his relatives, who
would be condemned to deep depressions
because of the greed of these two.

Well, they believed they'd got away with it -
and they surely would have done too,
if it hadn't been for the Guardian Spirit
of this poor sailor in the guise of a yew,
who had witnessed it all and by means of wit
made sure the authorities knew.

So these two were hanged on Gibbet Hill
on a cold and frosty morn.
Although protesting their innocence still,
guilt-ridden they died forlorn.

                           The Gibbet Hill Monument, where the robbers were hanged.

20 comments:

  1. Even when we think we've gotten away with something...it always catches up to us in the end...

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    1. Yes...I'm a firm believer in "Divine Retribution"!! *smiles*
      Many thanks Keith :)

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  2. Superb dear lady! A bit of history told in poetic form, excellent writing :)

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    1. Many thanks Rose...I truly appreciate that :)

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  3. wow. so this is a real story...i need to look into the history of this a bit...and i am glad they were caught...so they could not do it again....

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    1. Yes...all true!
      I first heard the story as a child, but only now decided to visit this place and get the full story.
      I was a really interesting place...extremely atmospheric...and according to the plaque on Gibbet Hill...very haunted!
      Many thanks for reading :)

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  4. This is so beautiful, spiritual and tragic, all at the same time. My heart ached and then in the end when justice was served it rejoiced! Nature is our Guardian Spirit as you my dear friend have so touchingly written here~~~

    Love this so much and the beautiful photos, too.

    xoxoxo

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    1. That is exactly how it struck me too, Jan...so tragic.
      As I walked that lonely path...the sailor's last steps...it sent a shiver down my spine...how could anyone be that cruel?
      But, as you say, justice was served at last...
      Many thanks, Jan xxx

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  5. Great telling of some history marked now in carved stones. It’s sort of interesting, the criminals with a stone marker too??

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    1. The whole area is steeped in emotion...all these years later!
      The Celtic Cross Monument marks the spot where the gibbet once stood. Many hangings took place there, the bodies of those executed left to rot where they hung - presumably as a warning to other would-be criminals.
      I certainly wouldn't like to be up there at night...it is an incredibly eerie place!
      Many thanks Anthony :)

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  6. Wow you are a story-teller 'par Excellence' the spirituality of everything you write goes straight to my heart, gladly ;) wow Ygrainexxx

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    1. ...and you are so kind Lorraine...thank you so much!
      This place moved me so much...I had no idea it would prove to be so powerful...

      Hugs xxx

      PS I am still visiting your posts and really loving them...only am unable to comment.
      Please don't think I have deserted you. I will never do that! xxx

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  7. Epic. I felt as if I were galloping along rather than reading your poem. I love the pauses (my pauses, as it were). The rhythm is just magical. I will read it again now. Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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    1. Rhyming poetry never comes easily to me, so the knowledge that you really liked it is a precious gift that I truly appreciate...thank you so much :)

      Greetings from Hampshire.

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  8. Very interesting! Great history! Love how you write ;o)

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    1. Thank you so much...and it is so good to hear from you! :)

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  9. Yea, I have to agree with A Cuban, i too was pulled along by the rhythm and the rhyme. Nice. :)

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    1. So happy you like this TUG...as I said to A Cuban, rhyming poetry isn't really my forte...but I do so like to give it a go now and then....and it is amazing when people like it.
      So many, many thanks :)

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  10. Always I love how you write and picture all the poems dear!

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  11. Thank you so much for your kind words, Gloria.
    I so appreciate that. xxx

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on my posts.
I really appreciate hearing your opinions...:)