O captain!

The ghostly galleon was a pale shadow in the skies

nervous moonlight peeped from behind the clouds

silvery, slithering snakes streaked down to the seas

the lone, ageing vessel valiantly tried to stay afloat

wailing waves walloped the deck again and again

the master helmed the ship stoically

though his heart was grim at what lay ahead

as the sea-spray hit his face once more, she tasted like memory

of all the good times he had had on her calm waters

and he smiled

her turbulent, troubled flashes of temper did not frighten him a bit

sea was his beloved, he could read her every pulse

yet, he admitted to self candidly, she could be capricious

he wouldn’t mind dying in her arms

but he knew they had many more years of togetherness

he had learnt to starve the fear that gnawed in his gut

never letting the…