Friday, September 30, 2011

Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!

'Tis the season when I get in touch with my inner pirate.  This shirt, for example, which I wore on International Talk Like a Pirate Day:


Oh, it goes much, much further.  Every year, I escort my History Club to the Ohio Renaissance Festival...in costume!  See for example:

2009: Renaissance Merchant
2010: Renaissance Rogue (mud-spattered)

2011: Pirate Captain!

I also dress as a pirate for Halloween:

2009
Last Halloween.

As I have gotten in touch with my pirate alter ego, I have added some representative bits of shiny (mostly stolen from my love's jewelry box...hello, pirate!):
From left to right: a button off my pirate vest (which is the backdrop for this pic), my St. Michael Chaplet (a special gift to myself), crescent moon and star necklace from this year's Ren Fest, sterling moon and stars ear cuff (my first bit of pirate bling!), silver medallion choker, penguin pendant, pendant with a grain of rice bearing my love's name sealed in a bottle (very special...thanks, J!), and the pewter heart with Celtic design and glass orb pendants. from past festivals.
Pewter crescent moon pendant and silver moon and stars ear cuff

Of these, the bits of shiny that are ME are the two above.  The pirate me is a creature of the night, destined to walk in shadow, avoiding the full light of day and the subsequent scrutiny of prying eyes.  He did not choose this fate, but he embraces it as his doom: take what you can, give nothing back (except to them as have need).  His symbols are the moon, the great silver lady who smiles down on him, and the stars, which wantonly wink at him and help him chart his course.  He is dark, blue eyes not withstanding, but he does not dwell in total darkness, for these celestial bodies provide him with that glimmer by which he can carry on.  He is sadder than you know, has known pain unspeakable, and yet he is stronger, far stronger, than I.  His abiding dream is some day to say, "helmsman, bring me yon star!"

7 comments:

The Bug said...

I do so love the pirate you, dear heart. Now, give me back my necklaces!

Carolina Linthead said...

What about "take what you can, give nothing back" didn't you understand? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Errol Flynn ain't got nuttin' on you! Arrrrrrrgh! Reminds me of Saturday mornings when I was a kid, watched either Tarzan or a Pirate movie every rainy day of the year. (Hmmm, I don't know how to spell, "A-ahahaha-ahaha!") :D

Karen said...

Your last paragraph here is almost a prose poem, and I'd love to see you develop it into a lyric poem using third person. Great introspection. This makes me wonder what my alter-ego is. Hmm.

Love the pics! You're one hot swashbuckler! (well, Dana, I couldn't help but notice!)

Reya Mellicker said...

Michael it's almost a little creepy how perfect you are in your pirate outfits. Past lives??

NCmountainwoman said...

I loved this post. Renaissance fairs are such fun.

Argent said...

Arrrr! I do like the cut of yer jib, matey!
And 'tid a fine heap o' shiny ye have there.