Courage.
How soon the servant to sun and wind
needs nerves of steel
when handling an ocean so capricious.
Trapped between lull
and heaving fury a sailor meets waves
that might become
changed to deafening thunder, giants
rearing to blind
with saline can un-man vessels quickly
leaving behind
floundering gasps that struggle to right
a wayward mast.
Skippers in days gone by toughened on
life in the brine
yet even the strong weakened enough
when gripped by gale.
Human eyes scanning for shore skyline
find courage cries
louder than storm\'s wail as sailors leap
into hell\'s blast,
tighten and loosen all soaked bindings,
claw against force
and slowly up-right dangerous leaning
toward safe course.
Then, gale out-blown and risk subsiding
under sun\'s heat
to mirror-flat doldrum of glistening sea
where languid lie
sails and fish swim alongside uncaught
do blisters subside
and raw fingers heal before next storm.
Pity ship-mates
coping with vagaries of mis-behaviour
in their fickle
mistress as worked to the weary bone,
hauling for home
near beaten small boats limp into port,
holed and fish-less.
Old-time seafaring folk wading through
tales own to fright
before soldering nerves of steel tighter.