A traveller of great renown
A theorist of repute
Planned a novel exploration by a most unusual route
He maintained the earth was hollow
That his theory was quite sound
And that another world was waiting in the darkness underground
The sun he said was filtered
Light streamed in through a hole
Through which he planned to descend at the apex of the pole
A galleon he'd charter with provisions for the trip
And one hundred men of stout resolve to navigate the ship
Sponsors queued and so accrued more funds than were required
And all agreed he was indeed the man they most admired
And so at last the date was set and they cast off from the quay
The mayor wept and a brass band played for those in peril on the sea
Well five months on and not a word was heard of ship nor men
And all forgot or ceased to care what had become of them
Until at last a traveler passed
A solitary soul
And found a rusty anchor chain frozen at the pole
