Captain’s Mistress

The Captain was a tall, handsome man
Blue eyes as dark as the turbulent sea
A weathered, handsome face to challenge all storms
He sailed from Nantucket Sound in 1792
Leaving behind the warmth of his wife’s arms
The laughter of his daughter
The bright smile of his son

Beneath his feet the wooden deck of the ship rocked with the sway of the sea
The indigo Siren that sung to the Captain
She promised mysteries and treasures
Yet only gave back the coldness of her briney depths

Caught by the spell of the wind singing in the sails
And the cold, sapphire jewel of the sea
The Captain pursued the elusive spirit of his mistress…
The sea.

Poem written in 1989. Image drawn in 1990.