A Sea is in the Soul of Man

A sea is in the soul of man,
Whose waves flow within his being
But feel the ripples no one can,
Save he who hath that soul in keeping.

An undulating flatness is laid before sightseers’ eyes,
Who see find nothing upon which to remark
But none know of the profound depth that lies,
Far beneath the waters, in recesses hidden and dark.

Sometimes the waters flow calm and serene,
And sunlight smiles upon each wave
But darkness on the horizon can also be seen,
And then the waters brood dark and grave.

The same sea that enchants in beautiful form
And glitters resplendent to behold
Can rage just as well with tempest and storm:
A dread monster that breathes bitterest cold.

The waves that gently lap and fall from little height,
Guiding ships safely home without spitting any spray
Can also tower terrible to monstrous height,
And wreak destruction and wash peace away.

Fear and hope rise and fall with these self-same waves,
Love and hate together in this water like stars glitter
There are those who say they know when it misbehaves ,
And when it shall not be bitter.

But the sea that is in the soul of man,
Bides neither laws or rules
And rages and laughs without reason or plan,
Defying the logic of all sciences and schools.

In this lies the beauty of this vast and unplumbable sea
But also, why it pains he who hath it in keeping,
For its secrets lie not even with we,
We who feel its ripples in our being.

Tame these waves some do try to do,
And sometimes we relent and bow
But strength and power lies with all those in who,
The waves crash and thunder, and unfreedom disallow.

Shall ever we know what lies beneath
That guides and influences us in mystery?
Or shall it be cloaked eternal in silvery sheathe
And have its qualities written in no history?

Such questions fall shallow in the sea in the soul of man,
‘Tis enough to feel the waves rise and fall
And let them carry us forth with all the might they can
Onwards to all that shall us in life befall.