Today we were supposed to write a poem about Science. I'm offering this and claiming sea, navigation and ornithology. Thanks for reading.
The Navigator
Overhead
An eagle flew
Taking advantage of our draft.
I’d seen this many times with gulls, terns,
But never an eagle.
My intent to stay on course was thwarted by swells
That forced tacking;
Into the trough,
Out of the trough;
The harbor in sight
But not growing closer
Or so it seemed.
The stern wheel spun
Under my deadened fingers,
My eyes straying to the compass setting,
Back to the eagle,
On to the harbor,
Bur mostly at the angry sea.
My captain,
Stricken with some complaint,
Left his trust in me
And languished below,
While I tackled battle after battle
With Neptune and his leagues.
The eagle left me as I finally rounded the bulkhead;
I saw him light atop a tall fir
As I tossed my lines to
Chattering boaters who helped me tie up
And told of watching my approach,
The eagle as my guide.
The skipper rose from the hatch,
Blinked his eyes, his ailment yet lingering
Said “what’s this?” and
Held up a
Shimmering tail feather,
Light as air;
A final indication of fortune, fate
And talisman of the navigator.
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