Nine ships
Swaddled in moon-mist
Cresting the axis
Of giant friendly waves
Nine hands
Charting the heavens
In minutes and seconds
With nine astrolabes
Pitching hammocks in the fo’c’sle
Able men slumber like babes
Berth beams
And bulkheads a-creaking
Nine ships are lay sleeping
On giant friendly waves
When I was growing up and
I’d take a bath at bedtime
And never drain the water
So my toy boats could float around
And in the morning I would
Go back and check on them and
They’d all be clumped together
In a flotilla in the tub
I realized they were frightened
To be at sea at night and
That night I sang to them from
Next-door in bed
And though the walls were thick and
My voice was small and muffled,
They’d hear this lullaby and
Not be afraid
It went
Nine ships
Swaddled in moon-mist
Cresting the axis
Of giant friendly waves
Nine hands
Charting the heavens
In minutes and seconds
With nine astrolabes
Pitching hammocks in the fo’c’sle
Able men slumber like babes
Berth beams
And bulkheads a-creaking
Nine ships are lay sleeping
On giant friendly waves
Berth beams
And bulkheads a-creaking
Nine ships are sleeping
On giant friendly waves
Copyright 2025 Zach London
