The poem that sparked "Port of Errors" the novel

The following Poem is what I wrote on one particular night in February 2002. I was bored and thought I would write a poem that would tell a story. I always loved those types of songs and poems. I sat down at my computer and just began to write. The names just came to me as I wrote and the story just unfolded as I wrote. I edited very little of it for grammar and to tell the story in a timeline that would work best. But other than that this poem wrote itself. I thought it was a pretty amazing story and I had no clue that the ruler of England at the time this story seemed to take place was a queen who ruled without a king at her side. So, it seemed to me that this story was something that was meant to be. I began writing the novel that same month and completed it within three months. Over the course of the next 9 years I edited and researched and continued in this cycle until it was complete. I did put it off during that time for months at a time, becoming tired of the constant changes and errors. The name "Port of Errors" as an infamous island did not come to me until I was half way through the book. "Port of Errors" seemed like a good pirate name and so I decided to base much of the story on that island or around it. It was then that I decided to name the book after the island and "Port of Errors" was as the title was born. In coming up with the series name, me and my wife brainstormed. I loved the word "Tyranny" as it feels so treacherous and pirate-esque. It took a few weeks to settle on the name "Born of Tyranny" but that is exactly how these men turned to piracy in my novel. Terrible events and tyrannical characters kind of shape and form the personalities within the story until they evolve into the characters they are. I LOVE this story and hope you will enjoy the poem...

“Black-Hearted and Captain Stirvin”

He’s Black-Hearted tyranny

Over the eerie seas

Ruling the waters in vile ways

He loves the life he leads

This Black-Hearted captain

Would lead his crew to gold

And never leave these waters

He’s much too powerful

He pleasures in his piracy

And plunders every shore

He’s a bearded one-eyed sailor

Who rules his vessel…“Whore!”

Baring a three-foot machete

Sharp as a razors edge

Only skull and crossbones

Be his one true pledge

“Captain Daniel Stirvin”

A mighty man is he

Every sailor swears he is

The bravest man on the sea

Standing a whole foot taller

Than any man alive

He flaunts his deadly pistol 

Just daring men to try

His eyes will pierce a king’s own heart

And they will tell his tale

His burnt skin and callused hands

Prove him prince o’er sail

“Black-Hearted” the pirate

Would face Stirvin’s sail

Just to put a blade thru him

And take and drink his ale

“Daniel Stirvin” the captain

Over the queen’s own fleet

Has vowed to rid these waters

Of this pirate o’er the sea

But “Daniel Garrett Stirvin”

Be his adopted name

And the pirate they call “Black-Hearted”

Was an orphan just the same

They be very best of friends

Unbeknownst to them, this day

And they haven’t seen each other’s face

Since they were taken away

While growing up they took an oath

Before parting ways

They swore to one another

They’d meet again some day

And when that day would come for them

How joyful they would be

Friends unto the end of life

Like brothers, like family

And as fate would have it

They both be captain now

And on the far horizon

Be seen, by each, a bow

Fire roared inside each man

Tempers flared so hot

And racing toward each other

Their men so bravely fought

And when they finally met again

A tear came to their eyes

And in that very second

Each captain felt to die

Choked up on their memories

Their love would always stand

But each knew the others fate

Be in the others hand

Black-Hearted felt so empty

He could not choose a route

Seconds seemed like eternity

But there really was no doubt

Captain Daniel Stirvin

Deeply valued their past too

But now they both be captain

… He knew what he must do

They stood their ground a moment

And held their tears amiss

They walked up to each other

And shared a hug and kiss

Each captain, then, stepped apart

Swallowed and took a breath

And in that very moment

It ended… with a death!

Steve V Cypert

February 18, 2002

- Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/61131
- Lulu (paperback): http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/born-of-tyranny-port-of-errors/15973524?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/2

                           also on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com