Notes About The Poem
1/17/2026 for Tempest Poetry Contest sponsored by Robert James Liguori
The Tempest
My map said, "Beyond there, monsters be",
on the fateful day that I left home,
to sail the deep, Balloonion Sea
of cresting waves and frothing foam.
As I waved goodbye to Mom and Pa,
tears streamed down my youthful face,
but I bucked up and sang, "La di da",
and sailed into the ocean's embrace.
The first few days, things went fairly well.
The sea around was still and calm,
but I discovered it was the hell
foretold by the witch who read my palm.
There was not a bite of food to eat.
Would I lose my mind? Would I go bats?
Would I eat the shoes right off my feet?
Would I resort to eating rats?
There was no wind to blow the sails,
and the provisions were so scant.
Was there no one to hear my wails?
Would God hear my appeals to grant?
As if in answer to these prayers,
a storm? - no, it was a tempest, raged,
as if the man who reigns upstairs,
upon my ship, a war, He waged.
Storm waves like wolves fiercely stalked and prowled.
Lightning threatened electric shocks,
Winds like sea-monsters screamed and howled,
and pushed me to the machete rocks.
I knew that I would surely die.
My voice was gone. I could not scream.
I said goodbye, but I did not cry,
and woke to find it was a dream.
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