A Tentative Sea Shanty

I read two prompts this morning: one told me to write a tentative poem and one told me to write a sea shanty. I married the two ideas and this is what emerged. I found it really awkward to write a sea shanty while living in the desert in 2013 but I ended up kind of liking the result!

I might want to match my movements to yours

Swimming together to distant shores.

I might be ready to allow this anchor to lower

To the ocean floor and let it flower.

At least for now I think I’ll stay

Until loose grips let you float away.

Is it time to adjust our sails?

Are we willing to work 'til we fail?

I can’t see the horizon yet.

We should maybe stop and just forget-

The times before when we said we’d stay

Only to move when we looked away.

Do not fear the storm that blows

It only helps us follow the flows

That take us to our destination-

Old solid ground or new creation.

In the midst of the storm we’ll stay

We’ll either die or float away.

One day we’ll reach some promised land

And if on it’s ground we choose to stand

The journey will be worth the fight

Or we’ll see ourselves in wizened light.

We may both decide to stay

But likely I will run away.