The Dark Tide

 The gentle white foam from the ocean

Swirled softly around my feet,

As from earth and sea to bold heavens

 A thousand stars my eyes did meet.

The winds of forever caressed,

And teased my ever so simple mind

Carrying with them the lost voices

 From another day and time.

These voices of gay laughter

 These voices of impending doom

These voices which were culled from ancient galleys of old,

that lay now on the black horizon of eternity

to be bound by a fate to ever and forever loom.

I exhaled in long release,

I smiled oddly at this inner peace,

I devoured the oceans strange calm

As a soft light danced and moved

 from behind the fronds of a palm.

I watched in the silence of the voices past

As they gave forth in sound the coming of my task.

Wherewith it is I now stand… and therefore I judge not of the sea.

For it is of the works of man, which has, been lain before me.

For greater is the calling of this night, this day

Which has in mysteries splendor come softly my way.

Oh grace the moon, which kisses the night sky

Oh His grace unto them that are soon to die,

For this is of what that those of the past did say

As their laughter along with the dark tide…

Softly slipped away.

J. Allen Wilson © 2005