The feat of brave Horatio,
One arm and eye short of a pair
Twenty-seven warships in his care
Manoeuvring skilfully in a line
Gave Napoleon a hard time.
This dual French and Spanish fleet
(Thirty-three ships) thought it would beat
Nelson, the underdog; but no
Our valiant admiral would show
That Britain still could rule the waves;
22 ships found watery graves.
Gravina wounded, Villeneuve caught
HMS Victory fiercely fought
Nelson on deck, his medals gleam
Shot in the chest, a sniper’s dream.
The battle is won, but Nelson dies
Forever a hero in Britain’s eyes.
Napoleon shelves plans to invade
St Paul’s funeral, State parade;
A memorial depicts him all alone
Atop a column in white stone
So in a way he is still here
Inspiring the masses at New Year!
(c) Poet in the woods 2013
Enjoyed that pal! Think I'll have a celebratory drink now.
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