She had been made with love and care Timber, the best brought from distant woods Nails and bolts wrought by many a smithy Many a looms had sat spinning her canvas...

The tale of a ship and its quest for a home

A Saling Ship

image: www.travelwithachallenge.com

She had been made with love and care Timber, the best brought from distant woods Nails and bolts wrought by many a smithy Many a looms had sat spinning her canvas Along smooth lines and seamless curves was she built Till there she stood tall and proud were they to set upon her, a delight to the eyes she was sure to be

And the sea wild, had spied her too Besotted by her charms, had frothed in joy Waves had it set gambolling upon her higher than usual tides it sent her way dancing in exalt on espying something so wondrous built verily it landed at her door And forthright asked of her to be its betrothed

She did recoil with a veritable shudder Whatever gave you the idea that we are meant for each other? look at me, I’m streamlined of the finest timber my ancestry can be traced to the best in the forest grounded, deeply rooted, the trees my dress, the cotton from distant lands it’s to the earth I belong to, for I’m born on land Have you ever felt your own saltiness, or stopped to look at yourself?

Spread all over, once here and thence there Carried by unknown currents No one knows where next you abound pray what do you think we have in common? For, two different elements we are ne’er the twain is meant to meet go back please to where you belong were I to troth you I’d verily sink somewhere over there you meet the sky and from that edge I’d fall off in demise!

The sea hurt, miffed and mystified knowing not what more to say, deny or defy withdrew its suite and tides, returned to its depths and all that was seen of it was some gentle lap of distant waves

She, now calmed, heaved a sigh of relief for having passed such a torment a tumultuous storm of belief! Who’d e’er heard such utter drivel? So far fetched a proposal? What could the undulation of fluid waves offer to her stolidity, her solidity, her timber, her teak!

Now secure was she on her terra firma yet her soul remained bestirred there was still an eerie entice of the wave’s depth carrying within some hidden decree

Thus e’er so often she’d slinked to the shore to hear the song of the gentle wash of waves in the water of the tides, dip her toes she stayed on land yet the shore became her abode. For now the metal on wheels didn’t draw her desires nor did the mansions seem like her keep the breeze carried some strange dirge of rout Nothing could she find in which to fit into in her own realm she found herself an alien in increasing degrees

Thus she continued to be parked at the edge of water giving the excuse she wanted to feel the breeze while she inhaled the saltiness off the air she kept herself safe at the water and land’s crease ever entranced by the roll of the waves. She did keep alive her dreams though of her roost she’d make in her very own realm while the lap of water within her a mysterious rhythm did keep

Until one day she felt suddenly the sea roil over sent breakers crashing towards her stormy waves struck her bosoms and then queried off her in indignation Pray what’s this enactment? Of letting go and not letting be? caught in the swirl of waves she trembled her timbers shaken, she had to visit the holds of her truths

I won’t deny the call, the cry of my heart but am straddled by unknown quandary torn between half commitments and half desires of where I belong and where I should be I don’t wish to come to you bestride such onerous horns of dilemma I won’t enter your dominion until I’ve come to hate The realm, the land which’s now my home and I’m free!

The sea did hear her out quietly, remained silent awhile then asked ‘Your realm you say? Pray can you tell me where your land is?’ she opened her mouth to speak, but gasped looking down there was only waves all around she turned back to spot her land and found it a distant speck on the horizon

Unknown whence, immersed in the play of waves her sails seeking breeze, had opened up and fluttered who knows when entranced by a lapping rhythm she had suddenly floated out of her familiar depths and as was to be, she was finally adrift on destiny

The choice was now upon her as to whether she were to sink or to set sail or straddling the shore serve some muse's purpose yet be neither of the land nor of the sea

  • Avi

Something I had written a couple of years back. This looked at 'Let Go' from another perspective.