Nothing but Sea and Sky
By John Herlihy

In all the vastness of the ocean,
The sea sees nothing but the sea.
It takes first prize for monotony,
Only water as far as the eye can see.

It makes up half the space within the eye;
The other half is made up of endless sky.
Its color and mood reflect the heavens,
Color and mood reach down from on high.

No one will ever dispel the enduring myth,
That people the world over always live with.
Sea and sky move together in eternal embrace,
Until they silently settle in their rightful place.

These two monoliths meet at the horizon;
Two magnificent lips that tremble in a kiss.
They meet together in mutual agreement,
In a unique attitude that reflects eternal bliss.

Oh, there are emotions hidden in the waters;
One never knows which one will emerge.
Loneliness and placidity often rule the day,
Until turmoil and rage vie to have their say.

Let there be no illusion and no mistaking,
Symbolic meaning is there for the taking.
The sea and the sky came together one day,
To steal color from the breast of the blue jay.

Gather together all of the oceans on earth,
Then add the entire span of the celestial sky,
Put them into the crook of God’s thimble,
Where they find place in the blue of God’s eye.