The Rock

WHEN I WAS A LAD

TRAVELING STEERAGE

ON A TRAMP STEAMER

THE BEST WE COULD AFFORD

WE WERE WAY BELOW THE SALT

MY SISTERS AND I

TRAVELING

TO MY MOTHER’S LAND OF BIRTH

HER MARRIAGE GOING SOUR

TRAVELING TO HER PARENT’S HOME

NO HAPPINESS IN OUR DEPARTURE

NO JOY IN OUR DESTINATION

ONLY DUTY I THOUGHT

AND FIVE MOUTHS TO FEED

WE WERE ALLOWED

ONLY ON THE LOWER DECKS

I WAS BUNDLED UP

AND PLAYING THERE

ALONE IN THE MIDST OF WINTER

SEASICKNESS CLAIMING THE OTHERS

WE PASSED A JUT OF ROCK

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA

A LONELY ROCK

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA

THE WAVES BEAT ON IT

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA

NO ONE TO PUT IT TO BED

SMELLING OF CIGAR SMOKE

AND COLOGNE

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA

BUT THE I BECAME AWARE

OF GREENERY

AND SEABIRDS FLYING

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA

NO ONE IS TRULY ALONE

I THOUGHT

AS WE SAILED ON

TO GRANDPARENTS

WHO LOVED THEIR DAUGHTER

AND HER CHILDREN

WE SAILED ON

LEAVING THE ROCK

WHERE LIFE FOUND LIFE

ALONE

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA

FRANK A VOLLMER