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Bon Voyage
The story goes that men have only one thing on their mind
But down throughout the ages there are men far more refined
Sometimes man is called upon to do the righteous thing
And carry out the wishes of his one almighty King
*
The boat backlit by sunshine was a jet black silhouette
It’s meant to rain but I can see no sign of that as yet
Predator and prey all jostled, keen to earn a place
And some tried hard to imitate a not yet chosen face
A sudden coolness in the air, a change I understand
And sure enough the rain began to fall upon the sand
The rumours had the birds and beasts assembled on the beach
But animals are never sure which God they should beseech
To save the boat from ruptures I filed down their claws and horns
What a shame the lions ate one of the unicorns
Whoever brought mosquitoes, take a one way trip to hell
and if you brought tarantulas then you can go as well
It’s hard to comprehend the water now above my feet
The rain so harsh it flails the skin like hailstones sharp as sleet.
Of creatures not yet boarded some are jostling many braying
Some, resigned, just bow their heads as though they might be praying
The last two creatures half way up the boarding ramp look back
And then resume their brief ascent beneath a sky now black
The water now is at my knees, I hear small creatures cry
As I wade to the boarding ramp and climb to where it’s dry
I turn and hold a palm against my chest and bid farewell
To all the beasts forlorn and lost and who I can’t wish well
The fate of all but two from every breed assembled here
Is sealed by word from up above and they are lost, I fear
I close my ears to all horrific squeals from far and wide
The waters now have risen more and this is not the tide
The boat is now afloat, the ramp is up, secured in place
And we set sail to start anew if we should find God’s grace
So many days adrift and praying that we shall not sink
There's water, water everywhere and all I do is think
The birds and beasts are restless and their waste is foul and rank
Would it not be better if we pulled the plug and sank
At last the rain has stopped but will the water please recede
And offer up some land on which the beasts can all be freed
But should we find some high ground after all these days at sea
I pray there’ll be an olive tree… I’m gasping for a pee
*
And so it came to pass, that we set foot upon dry land
I told my wife, “We have to multiply… you understand?”
She said, “We’ve been through thick and thin, yet here and now I find
It’s clearly true that men have only one thing on their mind.”
Copyright ©
Terry Flood
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