Vasa (ship)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_%28ship%29

Feel like loser? Think you failed?
Here's something to cheer ya.
I know of a ship that briefly sailed,
A stupid ship called Vasa.

Brilliant Gustavus, Swedish King,
thought "A ship would be just the trick
to crush Poland in our thirty-year kerfuffle thing"
and he ordered Vasa built ASAP and super-quick.

Of course the key in any war,
is to load your ship up with bling.
so Gus ordered Vasa painted like a whore,
and weighed with sculptures to stop it from maneuvering.

Finally at huge expense,
Vasa was ready, sail on mast.
Thousands gathered for the grandest of events,
cheering loudly and not thinking of ballast.

The ship pushed out from the Stockholm dock
on a beautiful summer day.
A fresh breeze made Vasa sway and rock,
as it crossed the Swedish bay.

Vasa made it about a mile;
its maiden launch seemed fine,
but the gun ports for all this while
were below the water line.

Though Vasa was close to land,
thirty people died, maybe more.
Despite all the boats close at hand,
that came to aid the ship sinking by the shore.

So next time you think you failed,
just think of Vasa and the royal clod,
that after rushing a crappy ship
called it sinking an act of God.