I published a book about John Smith several years ago entitled The Sea Mark. Smith himself wrote a poem of that name. Inspired by Smith, here is my version of the Seamark.
Seamark
I have searched, the pages of history
To answer a problem, a personal mystery
A haunting call, ghosts of the past
Echoes of the soul, internal ballast.
Something within, keeps me afloat
No matter the seas, that rock my boat
Mast stays firm, bends but won't break
Mariner's dream, riding eternity's great lake.
What is this anchor, that hold me fast
This thing that joins, to what will ever last
that sews my self, onto life's tapestry
That merges my being, with what will ever be?
It draws me in, after a wave its wake
Can't resist it, my strength I foresake
Into the sea, its cold water coat
Envelopes me, a castle its moat.
Into the fog, blanketing the harbor
The cool wet mist, wets the skin and more
It penetrates, inside to the mind
Fog on the brain, a pervasive bind.
Knits together, thinking and feeling
Sailor's seamark, spiritual sealing
Lighthouse gleaming, in the fog a sign
Crossing the sea, the sweet smell of pine.
I sail the sea, but what do I find?
An unknown deep, my mind the same kind
Explore myself? Search whatever for?
Unless within, there exists a core.
Must scape away, barnacles of mind
Sail through the shoals, navigate a line
Compass settings, sky's starry ceiling
Starbeam pathway, internal healing.
I've found the door, I know the key
Escape the wind, and find the lee
Peaceful harbor, anchor to cast
Retire sails, undress the mast
And beach the boat, my line to tote
Haul it to shore, beach it encoat
The hull in sand, the anchor take
Bury it well, landlubber's sake.
Seamark
I have searched, the pages of history
To answer a problem, a personal mystery
A haunting call, ghosts of the past
Echoes of the soul, internal ballast.
Something within, keeps me afloat
No matter the seas, that rock my boat
Mast stays firm, bends but won't break
Mariner's dream, riding eternity's great lake.
What is this anchor, that hold me fast
This thing that joins, to what will ever last
that sews my self, onto life's tapestry
That merges my being, with what will ever be?
It draws me in, after a wave its wake
Can't resist it, my strength I foresake
Into the sea, its cold water coat
Envelopes me, a castle its moat.
Into the fog, blanketing the harbor
The cool wet mist, wets the skin and more
It penetrates, inside to the mind
Fog on the brain, a pervasive bind.
Knits together, thinking and feeling
Sailor's seamark, spiritual sealing
Lighthouse gleaming, in the fog a sign
Crossing the sea, the sweet smell of pine.
I sail the sea, but what do I find?
An unknown deep, my mind the same kind
Explore myself? Search whatever for?
Unless within, there exists a core.
Must scape away, barnacles of mind
Sail through the shoals, navigate a line
Compass settings, sky's starry ceiling
Starbeam pathway, internal healing.
I've found the door, I know the key
Escape the wind, and find the lee
Peaceful harbor, anchor to cast
Retire sails, undress the mast
And beach the boat, my line to tote
Haul it to shore, beach it encoat
The hull in sand, the anchor take
Bury it well, landlubber's sake.