speak to me love

of despair and sadness; these wak'd from dreams,
called into tears of churning within tides
this great small ocean of you,
deep and unknowing,
shuddering sobs its sirensong

speak to me of love

and the thousand ships that sailed for you
courses of desire
followed, eaten, flowed, flown
passed into past promises
uncast
upon the backs of drowned lovers

speak to me in hope

that low sun might seed
the coldest grain, from winters' ice
in some altered shores'
new soil
of blood and bleachwood whalebones
that sailed us here.

~ r.g.p. 2011