two poems

There was also some poetry on the disks my parents sent. Heather liked this one (which I wrote after skinny dipping, when my ship had a port stop at Corfu, Greece):

Expansive blue
To sight's end
Completely empty between sky and sea
Its simplicity hypnotic
Sunlight kindles the flame of depth
And I am lost
Swimming for my life

Below the temple
Set on a rock against the sky
A free child plays
Flying naked above the crystal depth
Wrapped in cool blue
And the love of a father
Who knows
The needs of a lonely son

I think my favorite is the one I wrote about sunrise and sunset at sea, seen from the tower of the aircraft carrier:

Over water
The darkened veil falls away.
Day appears on the unseen shore
And climbs
Into clouds, gathered,
Fiery with the dawn.
Stars are lost in brightness
And blue blaze sea.

Over water
Day's jewel rests,
Fixed for a moment in scattered light,
Falling carefully
To the slate sea all gilded gold:
A thanksgiving song,
Lost in the terror of aircraft.