[Poem] Weathering The Storm

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFear not, my friend; we are not lost at sea,
For I have been to this island before.
I have been mutinied by those I loved,
Spat at in the face and left feeling sore,
Cast overboard with them blaming the storm
And it scarred me—all the way to my core.

But if I came back once, then two of us can.
There’s ample treasure for those who look.
The vessel that settled on the seafloor
Gives driftwood and twine, which we may hook
Together, and bring to life a new ship.
Then we can say ‘our misdeeds, we forsook’.

Fear not, my friend; we are not castaways,
We are exactly where we need to be.
Cast your tears upon the salty ocean.
Let go of your wailing, screaming banshee.
Hoist the anchor that is weighing you down.
For us two will sail all the seven seas.

And should we return to this place once more,
The wisdom of adventure will save us.
The tales of old: they’ll become anew,
As we sing shanties to the treasonous.
We will go merrily across this world
Until we’ve no need to remember the fuss.

Fear not my friend; we’re not at the ending.
We’re just sailors who see the sun rising.

Weathering The Storm ~ A Poem by Tom Shaw

I wrote this poem a few years ago with Lluvias Trozzi in mind, after both he and I were going through a challenging time. I included it in my first book, Born Anew and Other Poems, and after being encouraged to re-share it at a recent poetry night, I felt inspired to share it here this week for all those feeling like they are “weathering the elements” of something in their lives.

If you feel called to, I’d love to see your written creations on the theme: What is the “storm” that you are currently facing"?

Leave your results as a comment, and I look forward to reading and replying to the responses.

Thank you for making time to read this piece. For those of you in the Dorset area of the UK, I’m excited to announce a new initiative, The Writing Room, in Poole, designed to give local lovers of literary arts a place to connect with creators making a big impact in the community and beyond. The first event will take place on Tuesday 16th June.

I’ll likely pen a Reflections piece in the coming weeks on why reviving a truly grassroots culture of arts is increasingly important in light of the global landscape, along with tips for bringing ideas like this to your own local communities. In the meantime, if you would like to come along, or know others who might, then feel free to share the image below with them, and click the green button below it for more information.

I look forward to bringing you more soon.

With gratitude,

Tom