Sailing Poem by Trevor Valentine

‘Sailing'
by Trevor Valentine

The winds blew
The sea grew
Storm force 8
Heavy warps astern
To keep direction
And steady the speed
Waves grew to 35'
Up one minute
Looking down
Vertigo
Down the next
As if submerged
Enveloped by two
Ever large
Sea bosoms
Claustrophobia
Storm jib up
Mainsail reefed
To the size of
A paper hanky
Slowly up
And slowly down
Harnessed in
Shackled
Rain against face
Lashing
Stinging
Crash!
Wave over side
Fills the cockpit
Is this it?
Nothing we can do
Just pray
To any God listening
Start to sing
Out loud! !
Lift the spirits
Just think of
Something, anything else
On and on
Relentless
Eventually
Wind drops
Slowly
Sea abates
Relative calm
Where are we
SS Grünhorn
Our position?
Ten miles away?
Never
Plot two courses
Falmouth
Total calm
After the storm
A pint of beer
Best pint ever
Life is different now
Small things
Don't matter
More grateful
For the things
Which
Do