with skies pink
the captain felt safe to persist
through the fathoms of infamous sea
but darkness invades softly
clouds came to cover and cushion
a much needed moon
and began to churn
spilling into poisonous swirls
the crew traded whispers
of ghostly winds from the east
that stir a storm for hungry eyes,
for sailors seeking enterprise
from the helm the captain heard
his eyes threw threats at the sky
when eastern winds swept
the salt across the ocean's skin
there came a call of consequence,
of an instigated sky
as the waves barraged the boards
the crew abandoned the deck
but a captain keeps steadfast sea legs
as a child
he'd been cradled in conquest
the gray wood stressed and splintered
the crew quietly finished the rum
and kissed their creased pictures
while some stood with held breath
others unleashed the honesty
long-abstained for the hour of death
the captain's calloused hands
strangled the splintered helm
which had so long received his soft caress
and perhaps there was a tear
that ran with the rain in his wrinkles
like spray from the sea
salty and unforgiving
was it his fault for having pressed?
he'd inherited the map,
the compass, the conquest
but the captain did not curse his name
his father's brow, his fear of shame
only the sea
only the storm,
only the raging waves
the captain closed his eyes
waiting for the final wave
for his cradle to capsize
for his underwater grave
he thumbed the pistol at his belt
and wondered
if a bullet gave a death less brave
yet this was honor
his birthright's swift end
his long reserved deathbed
exuent omnes from stage and ship
with no trumpets at the port
no relieving curtain lift
there's a grave for every guilty captain
whose condemned his crew
to fall through fathoms of infamous sea
in salt and heavy silence
for eternity to keep
but there is no coffin
for a true sea captain
his coffin is his ship
shared only with the fish
his father's only gift
should been his father's coffin
surely not his
so as the captain sets his eyes
on the wave that waited
all his life to arise
his pistol rose to his temple
saluted the sea goodbye
told the storm
it would leave dissatisfied
told the ocean
of his death
and how it would be deprived
