Our Parents Were Kidnapped by Pirates
Our parents were kidnapped by pirates today,
who climbed in the window and whisked them away.
They tied up our mom and our dad with a whip,
then took them as prisoners onto their ship.
They sent us a note and demanded a ransom.
They probably thought their reward would be handsome.
We’re not really sure where these pirates were from,
but taking our parents was clearly quite dumb.
Our mom started giving them dozens of chores,
like washing the laundry and mopping the floors.
Our dad told them they weren’t allowed to have fun—
no screen time at all till their homework was done.
They picked up the poop deck. They buffed all the booms.
They rinsed all the windows and tidied their rooms.
They scrubbed off the rudder. They polished the planks,
while Mom and Dad watched them and never said thanks.
They worked day and night—not a moment to rest—
which left them exhausted and plainly depressed.
And that’s why, soon after that pirate attack,
they saw their mistake and brought Mom and Dad back.
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2025. All Rights Reserved.
Reading Level: Grade 4
Topics: Pirate, Poems about Friends and Family
Poetic Techniques: Alliteration, Assonance, Irony, Narrative Poems
Word Count: 185
About This Poem
I got the idea for this poem a few years ago while visiting an elementary school. A student was talking to me after an assembly and asked, “Can you write a poem called ‘Our Parents Were Kidnapped by Pirates?’” I loved the idea so much that I wrote it down right away. But for a long time, I couldn’t figure out how to turn it into a full poem. It wasn’t until recently that I finally came up with a way to make it funny, surprising, and maybe a bit over-the-top.
If you ever have a fun, silly, or interesting idea for a poem, I’d love to hear it! Who knows? Maybe your idea will inspire a new poem too.
Oh, and if you happen to like poems about pirates, here are a few more of my favorites:
- The Pirate of Pickletown
- The Life of a Pirate Ain’t Easy
- My Excuse
- Bluebeard and Redbeard and Blackbeard
- Pete the Pirate Wannabe
Worksheet
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