Monday, June 1, 2020

The Doldrums Beat

When we set sail with laughter in our hearts
And filled to brim a barrel full of wine
Our course we let the shining angels chart
The sun, the wind, our vessel were aligned

Adventure's sweet aroma we could taste
The singing winds did carry us for weeks
Past whales and over wicked waves we raced
Enchanted by the ocean's strange mystique

And when we felt our vigor had no end
The howling of the winds did quiet so
The rising waters started to descend
The creaking ship once swift, began to slow

THUMP THUMP
The Doldrums beat—
The wind without a breath!

WHUMP THUMP
The Doldrums beat—
The air as still as death!

Our lifeless sails were now a monument
To all our greatest hopes, now little more
‘Twas hard for us to keep ourselves convinced
We weren’t better off left back ashore

Muddy clouds they loomed—sun disappeared
That barrel full of wine now quickly drained
The angels, did they really bring us here?
Or should our foolish hearts be held to blame?

Our thoughts they weakly wandered darkened paths
To places we before would never dare
We traded hope for any mortal splash
A buzz to keep us cozy with despair

THUMP THUMP
The Doldrums beat—
The mallets pounding down!

WHUMP THUMP
The Doldrums beat—
The mad but silent sound!

Our wine now gone, we wept and wailed and cursed
How dare the heaven's fill us with false hope!
Our spirits swelled up large but now they've burst
Did angels play on us some nasty joke?

Or was that disappointment in their eyes?
When angels saw us greatly miss our task?
Did we think we were on a children's ride?
To keep us entertained while moving fast?

We wiped our brows and stood on wobbled legs.
Took inventory—water, food and limbs
We found much greater riches in the dregs.
Our hearts were overflowing past the brim!

THUMP THUMP
The Doldrums beat
They pound us to the edge.

We regained hope,
A mighty feat!
And the angels smiled again!

Our ship lurched forward in the reborn breeze.
Now grateful for the lesson learned at sea!


2 comments:

John Goes said...

I like this theme, though I'd suggest a bit more at the "taking inventory stage". What greater riches?

Not sure if you know, but the doldrums is a part of the very famous Coleridge poem "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", about a vaguely similar theme.

Sean G. said...

The greater riches WAS the overflowing hearts. It was a heavenly gift after learning a hard lesson. I can see how that could be confusing.

I didn’t know that, I’ll have to check it out.

Stray

 The writer was enjoying a nice stroll when he spotted the story on the side of the road. Cute little thing, he thought. Looks hungry too. H...