A Boat, in the Distance

the sea and shore and blue horizon off
in distances, the brightest blip of day
aflame with tiny melodies and soft
so soothing, still difficult to explain
in ancientness, the faded red and white
transition out, from order to decay
and buried in the darkest dip of night
the hope at just the smallest scent of day
i raise my head, aware of every turn
the earth and it’s great axis spins away
the brokenness, the ashes in the urn
grabs hold of it, and slows it on its way

then there appears, off in the deepened blue
a raft, a great titanic as it sinks
the weather, like a husband that’s untrue
has pushed it’s tiny borders to the brink
the shifting eyes, half shut, and with disease
watch troubled trails, the blood soaked in their shoes
such fear, all astronomically extreme
of tragedies, and evil they once knew
but here, they took the hopeful, battered reigns
and set this tiny schooner out to sea
and charged like Alexander on their way
to find themselves that fabled liberty

the beauty, every smile that is flashed
aloof to all the deadly death a-chase
the devil, and his sinister deep laugh
in-tow with all monstrosities they face
so, crippled, dirty knees and shriveled hands
with agony and death draped round their waist
to golden shores, to streets, the people dance
and set their hope, ashine upon the face
now refugees, the refuge theirs to seek
awash with all the difficulty that waits
with open arms, and starving stomachs speak
I am here, by God’s unflinching grace

so rise with me, and let us take their case
the beaten odds, the death must turn to run
and out of this humanity, erase
the misdirected love, the knife, the gun
there’s beauty in the sadness, pure as light
the degradation, darkness rests undone
for in the deep recesses of the night
is hope that’s shining brighter that the sun
oh beautiful, the waves of amber grain
come, bring your tired, battered and abused
we rest and now as brothers celebrate
this righteousness, humanity anew