Scrimshaw

A story about salvation placed in a nautical context.

I am the captain of my ship

Or at least I used to think

A ship that battled stormy skies

Has teetered on the brink

Massive waves of lies

Attacked my ship and as such I as its skip

Have fought the fight of love

While deceptive waves and strange

enclaves rained down on me from above

On dampened planks I have slipped

 

And still this sea has been my friend

 

For years of days I steeled the plagues

of heartbreak’s scurvy curse

A mutiny broke amongst the crew

Then things became even worse

Supplies ran low and down below

Bilge rats made a vermin's plan

To highjack all my perishable goods

and desecrate the ship and man

 

And still this sea lovingly kept me

 

When no land in sight, and my utter plight

Had declined since it began

Surrounded now by all manner of shark

and lustful leviathan

Despair became my mind's dark drape

and I spoke out to the Seas

I told them, “ soon I will feed the sharks

and loose life's hold on me”

 

But then something changed

 

My eyes so dull and damaged from the sun

Beheld in distant scenes

A sight, the image of land on the horizon

And a welcoming wise old being

The air of hope then filled my lungs

and I breathed deep of its needed life

I exhaled slow, the downs, the blows

and all my journey’s strife

 

I am not there yet I know it now

Yet I can see the promised shore

As I grow close, I see its host wave

Calling out to me more and more

The waves return, wracking ship stem to stern

I learn to navigate towards land

To drinks life’s water free

and forever declare God

 

My Eternal Father

My Creator

My Merciful One

My Friend

Reviews

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Such a beautiful and positive write. You are a talented writer my friend. I apologize for taking so long to read this.