A poem a day from now until forever from now...

Aug 10, 2008 07:12

I think I'll write a poem a day inspired by something interesting that I read on wikipedia or hear throughout the day.

- - - - - -

Vasa
She was two years of unending severity
and back-breaking labor.
She was the grand finale of a master shipbuilder.
A behemoth, meant only for destruction.
Armed to the teeth,
a mouthful of cannon tongues
prepared to spew the most vile language;
stone words flung in sentences of fire.
She would've sounded like the goddess
she could've been.

Yet, superbly unstable,
she tried to kiss the slightest wind
and failed.
The destination of her maiden voyage
a graveyard
on the ocean floor.

To be such an unfortunate marvel,
adorned bow-to-stern in beauty;
bright and vivid sculptures
painted red, like a lovers lips,
and shimmering
with gold leaf.
A gregarious sight strictly
to belittle enemies. A loud-mouthed
champion of a kingdom.

To sink a mile from home; to squander
such seemingly limitless potential.
Whimpering while devoured by the sea.
Before a crowd of thousands
eager for success,
all of them willing to sacrifice everything
to imperialistic prowess.

To see the looks on their faces,
to feel the heat of their shame,
to hear the deflation of so much pride,
drowned-out by the waves.

She was meant for a swollen swagger
and
to swallow whole navies,
but
she was only another morsel for an ocean
greedy and monstrous in war.

We are so much like you, Vasa;
wanting only to see victory.
Dressed to a T,
we tromp with pomp
from our port.
And we will most probably sink,
for an audience
collectively sighing with
disappointment.

We are so much like you, Vasa;
wanting only to sail freely.
So heavy with weaponry
we will fail to embrace the
gusts that should propel us
and merely tip over,
giving in to the flaws in our design.

We are so much like you, Vasa;
and God hope we will stay on our keel.

- - - - - -

thanks for reading,
-Phil
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