The Shipwrecked

When death finally comes, the sea is calm, an unassuming breeze sweeps the surface
Nothing here speaks of the crashing waves, the scrambling men, the raging froth
that ruled these waters not so long ago
Nothing here knows the magnificent vessel
that brought us here but now rests deep below
Only us, those that cling to the wreckage leftovers
Those that stare at the clouds as they shift in the sky
Only us have seen, tried and travelled on its greatness.

Dawn brings the sound of seagulls, the promise of land
Dawn brings a new existence, a transition of sorts
Dawn brings an intimate knowing of life.

Out of the rubble,
an orphan emerges
Looks around,
then swims to shore.

In memory of my father, the greatest vessel I’ve ever known, whose strengths and magnificence carried me all the way here.