Sea of Change.
A glance astern to yesterday will fill a seaman’s eye
With moisture born of memories when sails reached to the sky,
When a world that moved about them fetched seascapes from each day
Like a smudge of conjured land may fall, where Turner’s thumb had lay.
Trim square rigged ships with iron men fleeing dismal coastal wrack
Hauling wind to match the oceans with an eye to bring them back
From the salve of southern breezes or the western ocean flail
In passage parlayed from four winds by hand or reef ‘n brail.
Men canvassing the reaching wind sought a softer mistral sigh,
Where pride locked royal enterprise and hard pressed seamen lie
Where Nelson strode his one eyed stage from Trafalgar to the Nile
His wooden world of shivered sail, spoke death for rank and file
Majestic lien of clouded marque pressed hands to serve with God
In reign of starting savagery till souls donate their blood.
When deep six was their fortune, no pardon ere to roam
From the ancient swirl of waters that welcomed Odysseus home.
Square set or squint or full and bye whenever men unfurled,
Sails stood to all the cardinal points o’er the oceans of the world.
By barque and brig or full rigged ship, bluff galleons fought their wars
Sleek schooners graced the oceans, snow and cutter plied the shores
Till season’s change brought industry to lives governed by the bell.
When foretop men surrendered nature’s beck to furnace driven hell
Armed now with banjo slice and rake they toiled beneath the sea
Crossing hemisphere and oceans in a world they could not see.
Steam-packets criss-crossed oceans, smoke tracked their wake in time
Scant use for sail wrought iron men knowing Western ocean rime
For the world had turned full circle, no more beauty, just banal
Merchants feared the double entry loss, seas dwindle to canals.
Sullen boxes freight more boxes now so rare the rig for sails
Though seamen toil in concert still through North Atlantic gales
Commerce furled the jibs forever, making this old Mariner’s rhyme
Just the whispered sigh of Plimsoll’s ghost along the waterline.
Reg Kear © 2012
