Poem, "9th Street"

"9th Street"

8          9th is the first street off the coast

8          where the Greedy recruit raw meet

8          and then the raw meat becomes roast.

7          Money changes hands swiftly

7          one hears a deal they snap on

7          others hear differently

7          and somewhat inconsistent

7          a penny or dime was here

7          and now missing wear, go bare

7          a hundred times a minute.

8          That crate?  Does it have Nine Bottles?

8          Isn't it supposed to be 10?

6          One was cracked in shipment

6          nothing else could we do

7          so we gave it to the crew.

7          A refund to the buyer,

7          To whom we almost sold short

7          What is next to do in port?

8          Unloading barrels of liquor.

8          And spirits, but also quicker

8          some other solid goods: hardtack,

8          salted pork, and pickled fatback.

9          Sign there, then here, then lets grab a beer

9          leave this paper with my friend named Greer.

9          He will make sure your numbers are clear.

9          He'll seal it, mark it, make it secure.

9          Checked for rightly flecked inking stealthy

9          the spots that will make us all wealthy.

9          While we do drink ourselves unhealthy

9          Untouched in banks hard work does mature

-Josh