Sailing A Boat To Somalia

I met the Fisheries Minister

Of a sad and distant land

Whose gaze was far from sinister

As he shook me by the hand.

He’d come to purchase trawlers

For his home across the sea

But the route was wild and lawless

So he’d need sea dogs like me.

Sailing a boat to Somalia

What a crazy thing to do

But it’s more than an adventure

For the captain and the crew.

From the Pearl of the Indian Ocean

We’ll embark and aim due west

In the hope that such a notion

Might inspire the dispossessed.

Our leaving cannot be delayed

But first we need a plan

For distributing urgent aid’s

A test for any man.

Sailing a boat to Somalia

What a crazy thing to do

But its people know great hunger

With provisions very few.

For years the pirates’ misdeeds

Brought most shipping to its knees

While first amongst the proceeds

Were their bitter abductees.

Now modern warships give them chase

And counter force with force

To rid the sea-lanes of all trace

Of those who won’t change course.

Sailing a boat to Somalia

What a crazy thing to do

But although we’ll dance with danger

With some luck we’ll make it through.

A long uncertain passage

But we’ll overcome our fear

And make damn sure our message

Rattles every racketeer.

The raiders must return to land

And bid farewell to war

For hostages and contraband

Can’t feed the sick and poor.

Sailing a boat to Somalia

What a crazy thing to do

But the people need a saviour

As he’s long been overdue.