Sloop EXCEED. Nassau towards Hamilton.
Weighed anchor 2300 hrs. Wind light ENE.
Sea calm with easterly swell'¦

riding
the dark tide
out of moon shadow
palm shadow
out from the thrust
of music
light
love-laughter
rising
to the long rhythm
laying
a finger
on the Pole Star's eye
breathing
the body scent
of time
stealing
beyond the walls
into
the history of stone
into
the labour of Eve

EXCEED. Nassau towards Hamilton.
Hole-in-the-wall light bearing due West.

day clean
the lighthouse
blinded
by sun that boils
pitch that seals
carapace
adrift
no bloody wind at all
we roll
and roll and drift
and roll
the great boom
crashing across
an iron sky
hull wallowing
in wash and suck
of brine
dead in the water
dead to this ocean
motionless
log line plummets
into deep blue
killers eating
predators voiceless
carnage
shadowed by wheeling
frigate birds
that mock
fallow wings

One day out of Nassau towards Hamilton.
2200 hrs. Wind light easterly. Sea calm.

night
in silver sheen
soft whispering
between hard covers
sea-night-sky-moon
fire of burning wake
language
of sight sound smell
redolence of tar
salt-touch
wind-sough
creakings
and squeal of blocks
rush of wings
voices
of wood and water
in an ancient tongue
that speaks
from mountain tops
and fens
to the silver night
and the great ocean
singing

Two days out of Nassau towards Hamilton.
Wind NNE, fresh.

luff up
helm alee
lay her down hard
on the other tack
lay the grinding coral teeth
astern
sink the land deep
drive a wedge
of pine canvas hemp and iron
into the blue plains
into the pastures
of the manatee
range of swordfish
roost of albatross
where the great wheel
of sun
and stars
has no impediment
and the wind blows true
out of the gates
of morning

Three days out of Nassau towards Hamilton.
Wind fresh, easterly.

last land buried
in the wake
the bird
a-wing scuppers
awash
cutwater slicing the peel
off soft fruit
out of soundings
there are mountains
here
silent
all hidden in the muffled
shout and weight
of water towering
volcanos giant
squid crushed
vessels skeletons
of fish
and fishermen
no whistling
in these canyons only
songs of whales
and where they breach
we drive spray back
against a braggart wind
close-hauled and clawing
northwards
for the Bermudas.

Four days out of Nassau towards Hamilton.
Glass low and falling.

there's a devil somewhere
back of this wind
and the blood in the sky
and the curl of the long seas
wraps fear round the belly
and the waiting
waiting
for the devil
back of this wind
this sky


Five days out of Nassau towards Hamilton.
Wind force twelve, hurricane. Lying ahull'¦

under bare poles
the boat leaps
staggers
to the whip-
crack from this terror
that is not
wind water sky sound
but all these furies
wound about
the storm's eye
sweeping
through time
through space
over a stripped corpse
plunging
in the race
wind/wall
water/smoke
green avalanche
a hand
has braked
the spinning
world
its elements
flying
to infinity
we have no hand
in this
no hope only madness
fear
breaks wild
laughter spills
into the shrieking
into the roaring
birth-cry
of a universe

strained timbers
shudder
to that anguish
this unbelief

Six days out of Nassau towards Hamilton.
Wind light, southerly. Sea moderating'¦

water is back
to water
sky to sky
deep blue
has found
its coolness
sacred light
a sullen sea slides
under wrack under
a petrel's wing
washes over
an old grown turtle
in new found sun
Abram leans against
the mast
George squats
at the helm the sloop
lifts anxiously
towards what lies beyond
the hard line
towards long journeying
until we search darkness
for the lighthouse loom
welcome
warning
and all those other lights
fixed in memory along
the wayfaring
snakes' eyes
where the humming bird
sucks sweetness ravens
nest

'don't let her broach George
sail her wing and wing
follow
the dark fin
of the albacore'

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