The Frigate

The Captain looked out to sea, lightning licked the water in plain sight,
The black clouds were coming in, turning the day into night,
It was calm where he was, full sails employed to catch what wind was there,
The storm front would bring gale force winds, this he was already aware.

Sitting ten miles from the inlet, the Frigate waiting for drama,
Through the heavy rain multiple sails, riding the storm was an armada,
The frigate turned to Port one eighty degrees, and sat waiting for the winds to come,
The wind met the full sails, the ship gained speed and then some.

The armada consisted of Dreadnoughts and Frigates, the storm hid their numbers well,
With the blasting wind taking them to top speed, here came the wind wave swell,
The Frigate rocked this way and rolled that, as the vessel started to reel,
The Captain put away his spyglass, and had confidently taken the wheel.

The armada was catching the Frigate, the silhouette from their masts getting higher,
The Captain barked at the Mate beside him, get ready to start opening fire,
The message was relayed to the Gun deck, the Gunners were good at their craft,
They loaded the cannons and reported back, and stood by two cannons down aft.

Through the thunder they could hear a rumble, and cannon balls started raining down,
They were only firing their Forward cannons, but the numbers still made the Mate frown,
The cannonball splashes fell just short, besides an occasional one,
The Captain started wrestling with the helm, zig zagging wasn't all that fun.

Five miles to go to the mouth of the inlet, two big headlands one north and one south,
The heavy rain consumed them, it was hard to see around, trying to steer to the mouth,
He stuck with the compass heading due east, at least it would get them near,
When inside the inlet a bit of protection, it would be one less thing to fear.

The cannonballs were now in range, and they started hitting the deck, smashing wood,
As long as they didn't hit the mast, they'd be sailing for as long as they could,
They continued to rain down, casualties started the Captain was starting to tire,
He turned to the Mate who was still by his side, as he ordered him to return fire.

The Aft canons fired, then reloaded and fired, hard to see if they reached their mark,
The lightning still flashing and the rain was so thick, the sky was still very dark,
Two miles to the mouth the Captain could see, the armada was not far behind,
A big bolt of lightning cracked not far, the Captain was temporarily blind.

The Frigate finally made it inside the inlet, turned hard to Starboard behind the headland,
Then turned to Port to show it's broadside, and all of the cannons were manned,
The armada started funnelling, pouring inside to face the lone Frigate,
The Admiral of the armada was a pig headed man, who was set in his ways, a bigot.

Much to the Admirals surprise there wasn't just one ship, when he entered the mouth,
The Frigates allies consumed the inlet, they were surrounded both north and south,
He was out gunned the Admiral realised, as far as his counting could tell,
The firepower of the allies was an awesome sight, they had cannons on the headland as well.

The Captain of the Frigate on his battered ship, was looking through his telescope,
He watched the Admiral slumped in his chair, waiting to see what's next with hope,
Will he see the Admiral order his ships, to fight was he really that mad,
Or will he see him hoist something up, a surrender in the shape of a white flag.