The Storm

The ship sails

Gliding smoothly across calm waters

The occasional ripple can be felt

Like a speedbump in a road

Up and over we go…

Not even a drop spilled.

Somewhere along the journey a rain begins

Not a rain, a mist.  A drizzle.

But a storm is brewing

You can see it in the distance if  you look close enough

The waters get a little rough;

Just a shutter,

A slight resistance against the hull

The rudders are becoming tight

More difficult to control.

In the distance, the safety of land

As long as we can outrun the oncoming storm

We will be safe and remain in one piece

The sky has opened

Rain drops assault my bare skin

I tilt my head to the sky

The drops roll down my face like the t ears of angels

I look back and take in my surroundings

The safety of land is obscured;

More difficult to see

The storm is upon us

The ship rocks

Unsteady feet and shaking hands

My stomach turns

My head feels heavy

The sea roils

I’m tossed overboard

I flounder; trying to catch my breath

Treading in panic

I keep going under

Confused by a lack of direction, I claw at the water

Eventually, I give in to my futile effort

And I float.

Where will I end up?

Will I simply float into the abyss?

Will I rise to meet the sky?

The stars are so beautiful; peaceful.. so many

I drift onward

At some point, I reach land

My exhausted existence bumps the shoreline

In the distance, the storm has passed.

The sea is soft yet again

The ship is steady

As it sails away, into the night.