The Great Wave

THEY AROSE IN DARKNESS
TO SAVE THE LIGHT

HOW MANY THINGS BEGIN IN THE DARK

SOME FOUND BREAKFAST WARM ON THE TABLE
SOME FOUND BREAKFAST COLD

SOME LEFT A HOME WARMED BY LOVE
SOME LEFT A HOME…

THEY'D FISH ALL DAY AND IF THEY WERE LUCKY
THEY'D CLEAN THE FISH BY TWILIGHT

THEY'D ROWED OUT SINGING SONGS
BAWDY SONGS
ROWING SONGS
NONSENSE SONGS
SONGS TO KEEP THE OARS GLISTENING
IN TIME TO THE BEAT

THE SEA WAS FLAT

THE CATCH WAS GOOD

THEY WERE STARTING HOME

WHEN THE SEA ROSE TOWERING ABOVE THEM
IN FEAR THEY WONDERED
WHAT GOD THEY HAD OFFENDED

FOR PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO KNOW THE TRUTH
WE HAVEN'T WANDERED FAR FROM THAT THOUGHT
WHAT GOD HAVE WE OFFENDED

WHEN THEY SAW THE WAVE
DID THEY RUE THE LOST CARGO
OR MOMENTS OF LOVE
PASSED BY AND IGNORED

IT ROSE OVER THEM
PASSED OVER THEM
LEAVING DEBRIS AND BROKEN BODIES

BODIES FALLING THROUGH THE SEA
ARMS OVER THEIR HEAD

THEIR HANDS FLUTTERING
AS IF THEY WERE TRYING TO SAY
GOODBYE


FRANK A VOLLMER