RUNNING WITH THE J’s

The wind-churned sea with leaps and peaks and lively twisting twirls,

moves to the fancy float and tune of a thousand dancing girls.

It spills and glints quicksilver-like and glimmers garnet green,

as the tips of tall trimmed sails appear in the distant hazy sheen.

Soon the mast is bearing down; keel slicing water through.

This mighty, splendid sailing boat holds to her course so true.

Tell-tails flying straight as dyes, she takes the centre-stage.

Her sleek hull lulls the wilding sea and dulls its noble rage.

As fabric flaps and halyards clap, she eases back from heeling.

She tacks her graceful bow away, with air from canvas peeling.

Sails spill the wind then fill again and shape like soaring wings

and through the surf she flows, she goes; her rigging loudly sings.

On the track of her new tack, she rides the raw emotion

of the frenzied, frothing, foaming sea, so graceful in her motion.

She charges, cutting up the waves and carves the ocean blue.

Through wind-blown swirls like dancing girls; a ‘J’ class and her crew.