The Sextant

A heavenly poem by: DancingPenguin96

It was 1770.
Again I saw the stars and the sea.

Through my index mirror I looked,
The bright green eye of Captain Cook.

How lucky he was to have me about,
For if he had had to scout...

Every time he ventured off track
He would have nothing to get him back.

My inventors, or parents you see,
John Hadley and Thomas Godfrey,

Made me confusing to use you say…
But if I confuse you in any way…

Can you imagine being me?!?
No. I didn’t think so, you see.

John Hadley, died 1744, born 1682,
As an English mathematician,
He taught many and few.

Thomas, an optician, helped a lot too;
His contribution helped me and you.

All YOU had to do to use me
Was look through the scope,
To just beyond the sea.

Through the mirror you’d see a star at your back
Then measure the angle and DONE!
That is that!

But that was then,
And this is now,
But I’ve been stuck in this chest for…
I don’t know how long now.

While the GPS’s are disappearing
From the store racks,
I’m lying here
In these dusty old sacks.

They really should
Thank me, though.
Without me,
There’d be no life as we know.

From Old World to New,
The Triangular Trade
Without me aboard,
Sailors would’ve strayed.

But no one cares about me,
Not even my wife.
Well, I suppose
That’s just life.