POEM TITLE
The Ship That Ne'er Set Sail
POEM
A haar obscures Blackness On Sea
A leaden cloak of pearl.
Spot here a tower, there a prow,
As morning mists unfurl.
The street lamps wink out, one by one
As slowly sunlight, pale,
Arrives with hope and shows the day
The ship that ne’er set sail.
The townsfolk stretch and yawn and stir
To greet the morning calm
While wheeling gulls above the pier
Shriek out their shrill alarm
At moorings, yachts wait - patient, still
They know if winds prevail
Today they’ll get up closer to
The ship that ne’er set sail.
The Lobster Pot awakens now,
Its doors flung open wide
To welcome air and chase away
The stale scent left inside.
The floor is swept, the fire is lit,
The pumps refreshed with ale,
The tables laid for tourists to
The ship that ne’er set sail.
Victorious, the sun begins
To wake the rocks and pools,
And warm the beach of stone
and sand And spangle waves with jewels.
The children laugh, cry, splash, enjoy
This weekend’s fairy tale
While ice cream van chimes broadcast to
The ship that ne’er set sail
The endless day drifts slowly by
The crowds at last retreat
The locals smile, pleased to reclaim
Their own beloved streets.
Evening beckons, peace descends,
Blackness, once more, exhales
As one more orange sun sets on
The ship that ne’er set sail.
The tide withdraws, its duty done
A flag snaps, blue and white,
Before the wind agrees to drop
And day gives way to night.
The twinkling lights across the Forth,
From bridges, road and rail,
Provide a fitting backdrop for
The ship that ne’er set sail.
Now slowly, slowly, one by one
Expectant, they emerge
And all upon the Lobster Pot
The regulars converge.
O’er revelries within the inn
We’ll draw a fitting veil
This night belongs to those who toast
The ship that ne’er set sail.
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