Aging mariners
Neptune, albatross, mermaids
've caused mariners blight
worse than fishermen's' sores
unwanted afloat, ashore
What good UNCLOS, IMO, ILO
Flag State, Class and Clubs,
Port States don't trust them
EU chases and gaols
USCG bans and bars
Can't even take a joke!
Loadlines, SOLAS, MARPOL, ISM
Surveys, inspections, audits galore
ain't no solace at all
afar, adrift, awash and alone
GPS, Navtex sans morse, semaphore
fate pinned on GMDSS alone!
Heaps of docs, piles of garbage
please a few, jobs done or not
invasive species in ballast aboard
mariners themselves or not?
Criminal, terrorist, pirate no
drunkard, polluter, pilferer nor
outlaw, stowaway, runaway not
Certified competent seafarers but
Aliens, earthlings, foreigners all
Oceans, seas, continents away
Nowhere to go, but sail the seas
Toiling for a living's sake
Oh, yes; gold in the rainbow
Money in banks n long layoffs,
Uncle to kids, mint for wifey, kins
Sneak for reward
If one would, could or should?
blame them not, if they did!
No rhyme or reason sea-faring
Boys, lasses young or old
Whither adventure, shore-leave, fun
Abandon ship in sorry plight
Window seat on homeward flight
Wanna get them, catch them young
Train, pay, care and retain them
good mariners new or old
sure worth their salt in gold