Red skies by morn
Gideon X. Elson 1993 (Missouri)
As I step out and onto the deck, I see faintly sunlight a distant speck.
With crimson clouds set upon the sky, as seagulls now begin to fly.
The mate comes lumbering walking, to the captain he starts talking.
Red skies by night begins to rehearse, the captain practiced in this verse.
Interjects in a hostile tone.
Warning the mate to leave him be, when skies of red in morn see.
My feet on bow eyes to the sea, my mind on a lover of me.
Distant dreams racing in my head, if complacent soon be dead.
This deck is no place for daydream, from down below I hear them scream.
Twenty men perished in a flash, when a rogue wave struck and crash.
Poseidons wrath to be beheld.
When fifty men trapped at sea, and skies of red in morn see.
Departs the storm from upon here, stranded at sea felt of a year.
Again to shore my feet on earth, holy reunion and rebirth.
Driving me forward must press on, dreams of my lover thereupon.
Wander through desert in the heat, twelve men now with nought to eat.
Fighting for survival alone.
How wicked it is man can be, when skies of red in morn see.
Never would I have done what I've done, if that storm had never come.
To kill all those men in cold blood, and leave the bones lay in the mud.
If not me then another in my place, see nevermore my lovers face.
Did what I must and it's done now, and onward trek through hell I'll plow.
The cries of dead men forever haunt.
Dreams of home that'll never be, when skies of red in morn see.
Six men remain with belly full, six men ashamed and now are ghoul.
They gather themselves and make haste, the burning thought they left no waste.
The grim realization of deeds, man will commit to meet his needs.
They disband now and disagree, in which direction they should flee.
Unwilling to gaze upon each other.
Shame eats them now as it does me, when skies of red in morn see.
Now I'm alone many miles to go, in which direction I do not know.
When stumbled across a man of cloth, he feeds me now a hearty broth.
And asks of me my plights events, and lie I must of its contents.
For judge me not for all my sins, committed when a storm begins.
To reunite with her again.
Good in life seems absentee, when skies of red in morn see.
As I sit with this man here, a muffled drumming finds my ear.
I ask the man "what was that sound?", peculiarly he looks around.
And turns to me as if to say, that enough talk we've had today.
And just as the preacher turns around, up I jump and make haste for the sound.
A prisoners cries heard by chance,
Sad encounters abound, pity me, when skies of red in morn see.
Stumbled across a woman's tomb, a woman with child in her womb.
Woman who death has not yet struck, but is searching for soon to pluck.
With eyes of red I turn to the stairs, to find the preacher where he dares.
With grief I deliver this man, back to God from where he began.
Justice served the things hath done,
Who delivers this unto me? When skies of red in morn see.
My thoughts again to my lover, the thoughts she'd have if to discover.
All the evil things that I have been, horrible acts from way back when.
And could she even love me still? And would she even have the will?
Perilous journey to partake.
To have my lover again with me, when skies of red in morn see.
This journey brings me to a town, my gaze avoiding it stays down.
My ghastly figure try to hide, until I have been resupplied.
And now I hurry from this place, I long to see my lovers face.
Now on the road and almost home, how many miles must I roam.
So close now I smell the garden.
Many roses she plants for me, when skies of red in morn see.
Something terribly wrong I fear, roses seem different this year.
Not roses but lilies i see, lilies for the dead not for me.
Worried now I rush for the door, to see my lovers face once more.
And as I pass through the threshold, my lovers face beauty behold.
O how I have waited for this!
My lover standing before me, when skies of red in morn see.
Go to take her with my embrace, then I notice my lovers face.
Not happy it seems sad instead, a mourning veil upon her head.
Go to take her with my embrace, I see my hand pass through her face.
Fearful I pull and flee away, what grisly devil here at play.
I fall taken with supreme grief.
What power hateful aims at me, when skies of red in morn see.
I sit and take the morning sun, entreat my creator come.
Explain to me what demon vex, and casts upon me this vile hex.
How long now must I still suffer, kept from my love by this buffer.
As I sit here I come to see, that my lover grieves for me.
Resentful now it makes no sense.
For when could have death called for me? when skies of red in morn see.
For where then lies my worldly form? Perhaps it still within that storm.
Far out to sea where breakers roar, and perhaps I was dead before.
This ghastly journey that I'm on, with crimson sky scenes set upon.
And all that misery I consume, it set before me and in bloom.
The reapers grim and black flower.
He gifted at this point to me, when skies of red in morn see.
About this poem
A story of a sailors perilous and difficult journey home. Longing for his lover all the while he endures and experiences horrific callamities none of which are as grisly as what greets him upon arrival home.
Written on January 07, 2022
Submitted by GideonX on January 09, 2022
Modified by GideonX on January 09, 2022
- 5:28 min read
- 14 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XXXXAB BCXXCB DXEXAB FXGXXB XXXBHB XXXXIB XJKJXB LXXXMB HIXXB XCGXMB DBNXXB GCGKXB FXHBXB XNELHB |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic heptameter |
Characters | 5,018 |
Words | 1,085 |
Stanzas | 14 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 |
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"Red skies by morn" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/117272/red-skies-by-morn>.
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