Riding the Pacific

by

Emma L. Willey

My sweetheart asked in jest one day

if I’d ride the Pacific in a ltinyboat without fear

I trembled and worried but said with a grin

“I’d go anywhere in the world with you, dear.”

We started out to go to the beach that day

The Pacific Ocaen had a dark blue hue.

We got there and rented a boat to ride

Away we went on the bouncing blue.

The waves came in with a deafening roar

The motor roared as we took to the sea

As we climbed up and over the waves ten times four

Had I bit off too much excitement for me?

Climging on for my very life that day

I tasted the salt from the ocean blue

I wondered if we would ever get back

And I wished that day I’d stayed home too.

The sighs and the sounds of the ocean that day

Were so overwhelming, I could only wish

I had stayed home and worked to make

something great for a favorite dish.

I wished I had listened to the seaman’s warning

Not to go way out over the bar

We tossed and we churned on the surf as it roared

As it seemed to tell us we went too far.

 rolled and tossed on the roaring briny

to conquer the roar of the changing tide.

We hung on for dear life in that little boat,

but lo and behold, ‘twas a treacherous ride.

We had our life jackets on, thank God for that

Our bow hit a wave that hurled us off board

We lost sight of each other in the blinding surf

And soon I was praying, “ Please save us, Oh Lord!”

By the grace of God, I could hung on tight

I paddled and kicked to stay afloat

For hours and hours that seemed more like years

Sorry I ever climbed up in this boat.

And finally come morning a lifeboat appeared

And took me aboard, and I was afraid

my sweetheart was gone; I’d never see him

But thanks to the Coast Guard he too had it made.

At home in my bed that night in my dreams

I thanked the good Lord for the Coast Guard again

And never again will I listen to the whim

to ride out the Pacific in a tiny tin.

The End