The boy

The boy stood on the burning deck
His matches in his hand

The people who were watching him
Just couldn’t understand

The smile that played upon his lips
As in the flames he waited

To revel in the anguish of
The people that he hated

The boy called out above the flames
“You bastards put me here

But all your broken promises
Are going to cost you dear”

The crew looked to the captain
To save them from their fate

But his quarters were abandoned
He’d not been seen of late

Then as the hull began to roll
And quenching timbers hissed

The captain stepped aboard a launch
He hoped he’d not be missed

The boy was finally satisfied
The crew began to wail

And no one, in their anguish, saw
The disappearing sail