Tall Ships
The Tall Ships came to Vancouver
And we packed the kids
And went for a two hour tour
"Stay behind the markers!"
A voice of Authority boomed from the air
"Stay behind the markers!"
"What markers?
Where?
Oh.
Those ones, those markers those boats are in front of?
Those markers".
Captain Vancouver, BlackBeard
Napoleon, Columbus
Wars and commerce, silver and gold
New lands and exotic everything
Endless blue skies, flapping sails and a multitude of flags
Lines of people trooping off the booze cruisers going for their own
Two hour tour
"Say behind the markers!"
A brave rower
(Not behind the markers)
A red rescue boat giving us wake
Bright sun
(Did I mention the endless, blue, shrieking, cloud filled sky)
"Whose flag is that? Be careful of that door!
Put your camera strap around your neck.
Hang on!"
Genuine laughter at a corny joke
Low grunts when a speedboat cuts too close
Short lessons easily learned
Long lessons still in the making
Tired
Time to go home
Hundreds of years
History, written and exploding around us
All wrapped up In a two hour tour