Poem: Tethered

Tethered
by Emma Probst

Tethered to the dock,
a tiny rowboat sits.
Bobbing among the subtle waves
that gently lift
and fall

The line,
like a great chain,
keeps the currents from seizing the boat.
And taking it to distant lands
destruction on foreign soil.

The boat is fastened firmly,
the line is built secure.
Prepared for any windy gale
to ravage
pull and tear

A storm arrives with swiftness,
waves pulling at the boat.
Stretching the cord to its limits,
the boat to the breaking point

In the midst of the monstrous gale,
the line holds,
and the boat feels serene.
Each tug of the cord
brings assurance,
that the knot remains tight and secure.
The spray of each wave
renews confidence
that the line will never fail

But when the waters calm
the boat questions
the strength of this bond.
Adrift in an ocean of values
that pleasantly offer their cause.

The rope slackens
then the boat wonders
is it even connected at all?
Does the dock still exist?
Or is this vessel
set loose among foreign tides

The boat was prepared for the storms
attempting to drag it away.
Expecting a constant gale
to thwart
every moment enraged.

The one thing it hadn't prepared for
the one thing it didn't expect
was the pleasant calm,
the deep lulling,
the feeling of being alone

Have faith, little boat
in tranquility.
When the waves feel ginger and mild
you are still attached to the sturdy dock.
You do not drift the waves alone.
Nor are you any less durable
than boats that brave multiple storms.
You are such a brilliant little boat!
Be at peace
in the midst of the calm