Shackleton

SHACKLETON

“Hi my name’s Shackleton
And I’d like some insurance
For a ship I’ve just bought
It’s called the Endurance.
It’ll all be plain sailing
if the weather is nice
though possibly less so
If we’re caught in the ice.”

“I’m popping down south.
Right down where it’s cold
And I’m doing it now
Before I’m too old.
It’s not just for me though.
It’s a big prize for our nation
Plus there’s something
Heroic about exploration.”

“It’s just good that we know things
And visit far places.
It inspires young children,
puts smiles on their faces.
And the polar regions
Remain unexplored
Sorry, why are you yawning?
You seem rather bored.
I’m telling you chaps
Of a great expedition
The least you could do
Is sit still and listen.”

“We missed out on conquering
The blessed South Pole
Scott hit the goal post,
Norway scored the goal.
And what I’m suggesting
Is precisely as bold.
I’ve been South before.
I’m quite used to the cold.”

“I’m basically planning
To walk edge to edge
Myself and five others
Sixty dogs and a sledge
And if some of you grinches
Aren’t charmed by all that
I’ll take Mrs Chippy
The Antarctic Cat.”

“If any Norwegian
Thinks he can go faster
We’ll have a head start.
It won’t be a disaster.
Invest in me now!
That’s my advice.
It’s a guaranteed win
(Unless we get trapped in the ice)”

And so Shackleton sailed
To explore the great mystery
Of the great frozen world
But he sailed into history.
And so even today
We celebrate him
And his epic mission
Though the outcome was grim.

We praise his ambition
Despite all his flaws.
We celebrate bravery
And his noble cause.
We recognise greatness
Even in failure,
See the best of humanity
In those frozen sailors.

Because we know that greatness
Is not what we earn
But in how we fail and recover
And in how much we learn.
Shackleton shows us
With his determination
How we can be a better person,
a better house,
a better nation.