The Boatman And The Sea

An overcast sky with the shore nowhere in sight,

The boatman rows on, pushing himself to the brink.

Even a moment's lapse, he knows is enough,

For his tiny canoe to capsize and sink.

His arms exhausted, he puts down the oars.

To capitulate or not, he starts to wonder.

Persevering any more would be utterly futile.

A quick painless death seems so much better.

Trapped and lost in a blue wildness,

The ruthless waves may, for now, have relented.

But they will continue to lash as they have for years,

His supplies on the other hand will soon be depleted.

Just as he is about to jump off the boat,

He pauses for a second, seeing the reflection of his face.

A voice from nowhere telling him to look,

Deeper and beyond the water surface.

Millions of victims of the unforgiving sea,

Whose hopes had died even before they drowned,

Fervently urge him not to make the same mistake.

To keep his spirits up though his boat may go down.

The boatman once again picks up his oars.

No longer does the sea appear intimidating.

To carry on the fight, he takes an oath,

To reach the coast or die trying.