The sea and the solitary soul

 

Quiet, near the sea

But miles away from the crowd

Stands the solitary figure

Whose gaze pierces the depth

The dark sea and the dark night

Appears mysterious and too frightening

But she stands unbaffled and remote

 

The dark sea echoes within her

Remote and alluring…

Both are calm

But with a tumult inside

She is now closer to the sea

Herself the solitary figure

To be one with the sea

To share the isolation

And the alluring mystery

 

Copyright © 2006, Bindu Borle

 

 

The Sailor And The Sea

 

The old man was now retired

But still, in Captain’s hat attired,

He gazed out at the endless sea

Where one could see he wished to be.

 

He puffed his pipe of Captain black

And sometimes leaned much further back

And reminisced, adventures gone

And often hummed an ancient song.

 

Upon the evening’s weary breeze

That barely stirred the wayward trees

Came the fragrance of the sea

And as adventure used to be.

 

Those were the days, my dear good friend,

The days sailors were really men,

When wind fulfilled white sails at sea.

“Aye, that’s the kind of life for me.”

 

He closed his eyes and savored well

The sound of oceans ringing bell

That bound to buoys ring alarm

To keep tall ships from shoals of harm.

 

All this in dreams and memory

For he so loved the boundless sea

That now in aged resignation

He had no regrets deserving mention

 

Then as he gasped a long last sigh,

Some seaward clouds traversed the sky

And rolling waves upon a beach

Spoke, “Now he sleeps beyond all reach.”

 

And so in spirit, now set free,

He sails the winds across the sea

Content to relive times long past,

The only true sailor’s epitaph.

 

Robert Browne

 

Sea: My Lovely Angel Of The Sea

  

On the bonny banks of shining Do

There lived a spirit found and true

Whose gentle heart, though made of gold,

Still did age and grow quite old.

 

Though, of time and circumstance,

His love of life still sought romance

And searched the waters there to find

Another heart of such design.

 

With tenderness he searched the Do

And questioned to the skies of blue.

 

“Oh master of the universe,

I fear there is nothing worse

Then one being all alone

With all to give but nothing shown.

 

Oh God, have I lived so bad

That you should consecrate me sad,

To roam this world in solitude

Without a choice for soul renewed? ”

 

As if by God’s own sweet tears

To cleanse that being’s lonely fears

A misting rain began to fall

And hushed the Do in silent pall.

 

Upon the water, drops of rain,

Danced a pirouette insane

Then sank into a strange design

That echoed a rhapsody divine.

 

From that which the drops did make

Rose a creature from the lake,

A mermaid of exquisite grace

With ebony and velvet face.

 

Her amber lips, a special kind,

Reflected beauty of sweet wine

That made him fall on to his knees

And whisper to the stirring breeze

 

“Is she the essence of my life,

To lift my heart from living strife?

Is such a sweet and lovely thing

The cause that made this water sing? ”

 

The mermaid rose above the lake

And prayed the man her lips to take

Then said, “Just for a little while

I shall share my love and smile

 

With you because you are of heart

But we shall ever be apart.

My home is of the boundless sea

And you are of the land and free.

 

You may kiss my lips so sweet

But you see, I have no feet

And you my dear, a gentle man

Must ever stay upon the land.

 

Just for a little while my dear

You and I shall love and hear

The song that life may sing to us

And live the dream that we must

 

And when we part we both shall feel

The empty spot that was so real

No longer aches quite as much

Because we felt each others touch.

 

Hold me now my kindly dear

And I will dry your precious tear

For you shall now remember me,

Your lovely angel of the sea.”

 

Robert Browne

 

 

Sea: Those Claimed By The Sea

 

Within the squalling, darkened depths

the servants of the sea

Search currents for those seamen lost

that they may set them free.

 

Lost by sorrow or lost in grief

they’ve gone their errant ways

Yet lovingly the waves roll on

‘ore years and months and days.

 

Roll on to mend those souls broken

by nature in her lust,

To make amends to spirits true

and earn again her trust.

 

And if those found should then forgive

such unrequited pain,

The sirens and the mermaids all

shall continence their gain

And warm the lips and hearts and souls

of those claimed by the sea

And God almighty, I do hope,

the likes of you and me.

 

Robert Browne