a poem on the nature of sea, seaman, ship, shore
is this to be my destiny—
a calling not afar me— heart’s delight on a distant shore looking out upon your visible depths exposed upon the visage naked to the eye beloved a seaman callous young muscular body— dolphin tattoo on balls of feet flowing long hair a ship exiled— hum of her engines purring steam-turbines smooth as the cat’s meow motor-vessel’s cargo underway pushing into her waters parting liquid lips of she a love song only great sea crossing— will end this ride will you be along the quay i think of you as time goes by deeper into blue an atlantic ocean summer— monotonous depths relentless pale dead-calm water insidious salt-sea haunting being doldrums a voyage work— another day of sea-watches another 430 nautical miles logged another day closer to payoff a herald from asia— murmured gale wind howls beating my breast singing through the rigging pangs resound in crew embodiment of furies storm’s nimble voice echoing in ears far east a blow off southern africa all day— flowing into her animal self being engulfed by her body rolling work seething with froth ominous erupting movement on relentless cresting waves looming green-water body falls an unlicensed merchant mariner able seaman— any waters unlimited-tonnage three-year apprenticeship on deck skilled laborer topside quartermaster a sea song land— as time passed beacons blaze by swept across your bow of ever haunting shore your stiff swift gaze sailor son a north sea winter runs— rage of force north atlantic eminent battle it is inevitable to the death is life the haunting spectrum in man’s mangled history unsparing anguish grows courage to die venerable dread of becoming lost vehement forever son institutionalized no longer fit forgotten alone a crossing along a southern horse latitude santiago chile— harbor grudge as twilight falls stern hopping noise in suspended pungent heat subsiding stagnant air fill your lungs screw churning up black pigmented swirling white water woe the hour of vengeance the stadium’s cadavers beseech a single glow of manmade light now joins our physical lives to still unearthed graves i heard your mothers demanding their children ship to city disappearing and never the eternal shall rise my country employed the hands that murdered you unraveling night falls upon placid waters steaming into the starlight filtered immersed starkness vast open water compañeros a coral sea springtime’s— tempestuous season pulse rapid as breath exhaled sweat beads and falls wisps away awash heart pounding to the sea i scream a pacific ocean under you— around you taste her salt hear her moan immersed in her deep into her look bathe in her depths going down into her deeper into her plunge being buried alive in her trough she grips and shudders your vessel no fear of harm from thrust of any spar magnificent heaving breasts of mass sea’s siren song deadens your ears tear yourself apart from her grip or below the sight of sky become lost entombed to her die a sea change awaken— calm sweeping tender kisses down bow keel to stern a wife everyday— the stone of my island home weeps of one who said she could do what she was not strong enough to do in her death a smile across her face to me on my own at sea a mediterranean sea middle east— rolling rollers crestless massive green-water roller-coasters a mariner’s observation different times— with your fluid self hypnotic crestless swells seductive rolling endlessness you beckon me to you to leaving my berth to lay with you to end my time in your water womb a deep blue-water alas— sleep rolling gently abeam a life i ask— is this to be my destiny a watch call jack— is this to be my destiny— a poem on the nature of sea, seaman, ship, shore