Batten Down Poems

Family

When winds are rough,
And tear at hopes and dreams
When days are dark, and nights are tough,
And over-long, it seems
When bitter clouds collect above,
And ache and break and pour
We'll batten down the hatches, 
Just like we did before.
You see, to me - we're made to last;
To wait, contented, warm;
To stand and know the past has passed.
For now, it's just a storm.
If you should fray, or fall apart,
In any where or when
We’ll always try, with all our heart,
To make you whole again.
But if you do fall behind,
And break and shake to bits
The day will come where you will find,
The pieces still all fit.
That's quite enough of strain and strife,
And painful days, astray.
This isn't at all funny, life.
Enough for now, okay?

Mantenna

Lately my mantenna are twitching more than usual folks
the prophecies are surely uncloaking
time to batten down the hatches
the second flood is lapping on the doorstep
clutch your loved ones to your chest
Its nearly midnight, the world is on full tilt
nuclear pinballs ricochetting off 
bent flippers of black hearted madmen
They will not lead into battle
they'll just push a button to begin the cleanse
They want to speed up the blender of Armageddon
In the meantime, enjoy the day
have a lick of your favorite ice cream
watch the fireworks display
God bless, most of us anyway.

Windblown Rhapsody

(To be sang to the tune of
  "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen)

Here's a wee warning.
Eowyn is on his way.
He'll blast round the UK.
So now batten down the hatches.
Lock up your house.
Close all curtains now
And hide!

We are just human.
They are the elements...

Dark clouded skies
Wind is strong
Rain will batter
All day long.
We need our shelter
Coz otherwise we'll all be blown away!
Like debris. 

Warning!
There's a red alert.
All the gusts that travel past
May be a hundred miles fast.
Warning!
Pets need protection.
We don't want our animals to fly!

Hours!
That's how long.
There will be damage.
Be aware that fences aren't as rooted as trees!

Make sure you stay inside.
Any trips can wait.
Make sure you stay inside.
Snuggle up, keep cozy -
Stay safe!

Shut Up!

Shut Up!

Shut up the hurricane shutters!
   There's a storm that is ready to blow.
Batten down all the hatches!
   Mother nature is angry, don't you know?

There's a man on the watch tower
   and he's signalling to the boats in the harbor.
There are squalls on the horizon,
   and he doesn't want you to go.


Keep your prayers close beside you.
   Keep your loved ones by your side.
Settle all scores that divide you.
   Pray for forgiveness, and for strength to abide.

Paint the front doors that judgement pass over.
   Burn the candles that welcomes the Prince of Peace.
You can see the four horsemen come riding.
   There is no shelter from His wrath to hide.


The mockers will taunt you,
   as Noah had to endure.
Your obedience is your love,
   and in faith, your salvation is assured.

When finally the seas die back.
  And the armies of evil are drowned in the murk,
A ray of light like a dove will descend on you,
  and everlasting paradise will be secured.

by Martin Braun
3/17/2024

Super Glue Will Do Too

A confirmed landlubber is my friend Pete
  At water sports my friend Pete can't compete
    Once he tried on some skis
    Almost drowned in the sea
  Going rafting? ~ Batten down Pete's aisle seat

Seagulls Bring Unwanted News

Seagulls swoop in from a rumored coast,
tropical storms rock small pebbles in Ohio.
It is the season to be watching other's
batten down and endeavor not to drown.
Of course the odd hurricane
may pounce upon us
but by and large we are indifferent.

There is much talk of foreign wars
in Midwest bistro's,
but we suffer only from the daily news.
Atomic annihilations
are not any part of our conversations,
though we do dig deep shelters
in our restless dreams.

The seagulls are getting fat
from the rinds & crumbs
of our bacon sandwiches;
they may never fly away now.
The leaves will fall this Autumn
but nothing much is in a hurry
so no worry.

The Uss Arizona 12 7 41

I race toward my workspace, now battle station
Code Zebra, ASAP, batten down the hatches!
Ka-boom!  Boom!  Boom!  A trance-like sensation
Shipmates scramble for smokes and matches

Ray, Dale, and Russ don’t show
I think: run, jump; if you die, die free
Not trapped and sealed in steel below
Not buried alive like me!

Kaboom! Overhead bolts shoot from the seams
Above is a warm Hawaiian autumn
I’m weak as blood from my neck streams
Where am I now?  Of course, I remember

It’s noon, I have a date with a girl on the beach
She’s eighteen and a bit silly, like me
What a gorgeous sight, she’s now within reach
I’m so happy and complete, so free

7/12/22
Tears Of A Valiant Soldier Poetry Contest
Sponsor:  Faraz Ajmal

Captain Pugwash and First Mate

Your voyage began in the summer of 69.
The adventures of life lay ahead.
Though you knew it would not all be plain sailing,
Your four years of prep put you in good stead.

At times, when your sea got quite choppy,
You'd batten down the hatches, as it were.
For both of you knew that after rocky waves
A storm was likely to occur...

After some time, the storm would abate.
In the calm you could recover.
And even though the storm was bad,
You'd grown closer, relied on each other.

As time has gone by it may feel
Like the unsettlement seems to lengthen,
But because you close ranks to wether these storms
Your trust, love and bond does strengthen.

Your ship is one of stability!
Wherever your journey may take you,
I wish you both a  " Happy Anniversary! "
And long may your travels continue!

Storm Warning

There’s a storm on the way, that will deliver a blow
No travel is advised, and it’s not because of snow
Visibility will be impacted so you better hunker down
It’s going to bring a flood, please try not to drown

You need to be prepared, so check your emergency kits
Replenish your batteries and make sure your life vest still fits
Batten down the hatches and furl your sail
Hold on tight, it’s going to be a fierce gale

You can weather this storm if you know what to do
Listen for the message that will help get you through
It’s going to hit really hard and it will hit very fast
This will not be the first and it won’t be the last

There are many storms of life that will cause a fuss
Pay attention to the exits and where you sit on the bus
If you choose the right captain, then you’ll make out alright
He will protect you from the storm and guide you through the night

Writing In the Now

Stop present time now!
Let us go no further.
Let's enjoy the now, somehow.
Muses and we, sisters and brothers.

Batten down the hatches on reality.
Only stars dance, we staunchly state.
Reality has no maternity,
We slammed it dead at the front gate.

Of only insignificance, can we pen?
Strange murmurings of only moons
and stars.
Reality to die slowly in a dark house 
of busy pens?
Of that, dare not your soul ever move 
nor start.

This world of writing, utterly unreal.
Where imagery is some despotic 
king?P
And long words you must look up
to somehow beauty reveal?
To then bow low and kiss a poet's 
ring?


        September 13, 2020
            8:30 pm PST

Midwest Monsters

Dark tornadic skies
batten down the Oz hatches
twisters by the score

Whale Tale

Let me tell you a tale
Of a wild ride on the tail
Of a whale

So through the water he splashes
Hither and fro he dashes
Batten down the hatches

I never thought Id ride a whale anywhere
Its fun up in the air
But terrible under the water down there

So up and down I go
For how long I don't know
I just hope he doesn't blow

Rise To the Occasion

Rise to the occasion of the weather
Inform the storm of cruel intentions
Lift your eyes above tsunami fury
Take back the waves you came in on
Make earthquakes miracles that move  
Shake hands with disaster for awhile 
Love your neighbor as yourself in puddles
Play in the mud of love before it dries
Take that which you were born with
Leave volcanoes to their ashes gray
Stay quiet in the lava beds of dawn
Leave disasters to their own devices
Look at asteroids but do not touch
Take a twister with a turn of hurricane
Call in the morning if things should change
Tell the rain to come and go away
Listen to the laughter as it thunders
Watch clouds steal water from the lake
Evaporate before you take another breath
Use a light switch in the sky
Turn the sun off if it gets too high
Keep your distance as life rolls in
Take the next wave out of misery
Make a wish.  It is your turn to hide
Die but only if you have to in the tide
Be smart and batten down the hatches
Be kind to lightning. It could strike back in kind.

God Is the Captain

God is The Captain

Gather up this new love
That was sent from above
Now it is ours to share

So to God send a thank you prayer

Give us inspiration to do for each other
What one could not do alone

Savor each moment as if it were the last
Live in the future, not in the past

Be prepared for sacrifice
Take heavenly advice

Don’t think once
Think twice

So batten down the hatches
Tie up the mast

God is here

To help us ride out the storm
Of love brewing in our hearts

God is the Captain of our love at last

Portents

portents

sky darkens deeper and deeper 
turning toward the gloom
of pseudo night.  silence in the trees 
leaves batten down their fragility. 

far out past Christian Island
the rumbling, grumbling  begins,
slowly stalking the land of summer dreams,
echoing and emerging into my bay

the sky is having a tantrum as 
a frustrated child stomps 
about my roof spilling 
rushes of beating rain.

flowered faces 
once turned toward the sun
now droop their heads
beneath the watery onslaught.

roots quiver with expectation
of streams of sustenance
renewing the earth, refreshing the air.
nature takes care of its own.

we shelter as a tortoise 
in our cabin. peering out 
disconsolate at having our 
reverie so thoughtlessly interrupted.

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