Always There Has Been Land

It is not the first time you have been set adrift
and always there is that same fear, like a child,
fearful and lost and without understanding of the whys.
You have never learned how not to cry,

But, you are old now. It has happened enough.
You know what to do.

First, lower the sails. Stop. Drop anchor
if the waters are shallow enough.
If not, head into the wind. Get your bearings.
It may be a strange sea
but always there is east, west, south, north.

Remind yourself there is land somewhere.
Remember where you came from
and how you got here in the abandoned sea.

Next, breathe the wind. Where does it come from.
Is it steady, Can you smell land? Or a storm?
Breath the wind and look. Are there gulls?
Are there breaks in the water where whales and fish
are traveling? Which way do they go?
It is worth the stillness. Allow yourself
to adjust to the emptiness.

And then, choose your direction.
Yes it matters which way you choose.
Some journeys are shorter than others.
Some journeys are gentler. But in the end
it does not matter. Any direction is better than none.
Any direction will find land. Eventually, Know this.

And only then set sail. Take your time.
Let the canvas fill of its own accord.
Do not fret. Even the lightest wind will carry you.

Pay attention. At first the sea will seem the same
in every direction. You will feel as if you are going
nowhere. Like grief, you will want it to end,
but like grief, you must get through the emptiness
to find home.

And you will. All seas have land. All loss has life.
Some journeys have charts and maps.
Others do not. But do not fret. Pay attention.
Remember the lost places so that once you find landfall,
whether a familiar shore or a strange new world,
you can rejoice. And remember. You have been set adrift before,
and always there has been land.

About this poem.

A poem about loss. About abandonment, About finding your way when there is no path. Or a poem about sailing. Poetry is never about one thing.

The photograph was taken in Provincetown, Mass.

Tom