Mayday Comes From French

M'aider … Mayday, comes from French, that word, with fright, I radio, my engine dead, this nighttime glide, vast sky and ocean black as ink, waves rising, lapping, leaping up until the splash, wings ditching in, a frantic swim, inflating raft, my sea-soaked struggle to climb in then drift and bob through endless dark, despair and chill a numbing pair while drooping, dozing, nodding off … then through his succor of weak sleep, the sea's east edge grew limned with white and stars lost vigor in dull sky, its gray, faint light caressing him; he gasped and jolted, jumped awake, aware hope rises with pale glow, that pastel-pink renews all life and rescue, soon, will be at hand!