The Devil's Light

A lighthouse wrecks passing ships for a nefarious purpose.

 The Devil's Light

 

The waves do crash upon the shore,

the lighthouse a dying sun.

The rain it falls like ne'er before.

The Devil's work begun.

 

A ship, a ship, with shortn'd sail

doth in the tempest roll.

She struggles, but to no avail.

The sea saves nay a soul.

 

But see, those souls which wither fly

against the tempests' might.

see the lighthouse, set on high 

and see the dying light.

 

They fly on towards that lighted tower

each mariner in turn

and giving up their earthly power

the light more brightly burns.

 

And as each sailor rises on

to join that burning lens,

their souls glow like the early dawn.

Dispelled, the tempest ends.

 

For no safe haven is this cove,

just shallows, rocks and shoals.

A tapestry the Devil wove

for ensnaring salt-rimed souls.

 

'Tis on those the light depends

to feed its hellish glow.

A watery grave its light portends,

its graveyard, down below.

 

Each ship a crypt, each sail a shroud,

yardarms mark the graves

and no reward for faith avowed

beneath the rolling waves.

 

So on and on that dark sea roils,

the tempest blows at night.

The Devil takes his sea-dead spoils

to power his Devil's light.

 

Now ev'ry ship and ev'ry tar,

mark these words and heed.

Set thy course by a different star,

or the Devil's light ye'll feed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Legion]

A note before the review:

"So on and on that dark sea roils,

the tempest blows at night.

The Devil takes his sea-dead spoils

to power his Devil's light."

In this particular stanza, consider using a different word of the second "Devil". The use of it twice throws it off a bit. Perhaps "to power his fiendish light" or something of the sort. Anyway, onto the review.

This is "freaking" awesome. Love the rhyme. Love the meter. Love the story. I think this could also make a great song as well with the addition of a chorus and music. Reminds me a bit of a piece I wrote called "Vanderdecken". Check it out sometime when you get a chance. Once again, I LOVE this piece. Going in favorites. Kudos to you and bravo.

[H]

The rhythm here is friggin' stupendous. A poem that rhymes, makes sense, and marvels its readers is so hard to come by nowadays.

Thank you for sharing with us!