Tides of Life: A Poem

A ship set out to sea one day
bobbing and bouncing on its way
Past isles, bays, and strange new lands
Optimism and Time on hand

Sailing with Pleasure and Delight
Through dancing waves and warm sunlight
The emerald sea, the clear blue sky
Birds and fish passed gently by

Scents of spices, nuts, and ales
A song in heart fanning her sails
Joy and Happiness along
What could possibly go wrong

The skies turned gray, the sea so wide
The journey began to shift the tide
Dark clouds, rainy and thunderous spells
Vicious tempests, fiercest swells

Waves crashing down, busting her sails
A broken mast, the ship impaled
The air now filled with smoke and screams
The ruthless sea washed out her dreams

Was this the end? her Spirit slayed
Or would Fate and Luck come to her aid
Anger turned up to save the day
And gave her Strength to find her way

Fear and Anxiety became her guides
Curbing her former leaps and strides
Grief held her tight to its chest
And forced her to set down to rest

Exhaustion softly took her hand
And wrecked her on a safe island
Nurtured her to linger a while
Until she could regain her Smile

The rhythmic sound of lapping waves
Evoked memories of simpler days
Slowly taking in the scene
The skies so blue, the trees so green

The rough caress of rocky land
The warm and soft touch of the sand
The sound and smell of misty breeze
Her heart anew, her mind at ease

But travel-worn and battle-scarred
Some days are easy, some are hard
Old friends like Trauma call again
The salty Tears, the howls of Pain

Suffering, a loyal mate for life
has stayed with her through every strife
And Wisdom, the truest one of all
grows closer through each rise and fall

It taught her that these friends she found
are all worthy to have around
Some days she sails the open sea
Like old times living wild and free

On other days she stays on ground
With faithful fellowship abound
Much grateful for the friends she’s met
And ones to be encountered yet

She’ll embrace them all, the dark and light
Until she takes her final flight