THE SACRIFICE

THE SACRIFICE


SHALL I EVER SEE A TOWERING THUNDER CLOUD
AND NOT REMEMBER
SHALL I EVER SEE A LINE SQUALL ACROSS THE HORIZON
DARK
FOREBODING
AND NOT REMEMBER

THE SEA WAS CALM
WITH A BREEZE
THAT MADE SAILING A JOY
RUNNING DOWN THE WIND
THE WATER HISSING AT THE BOW
WATCHING MY SON JOHN
AND HIS PAL TOM
LEARNING
AND ENJOYING
THE ART OF SAILING
OR JUST BEING BOYS
ON THEIR BACKS
SEEING THEIR FUTURE IN THE WHITE PUFFY CLOUDS
THAT GRADUALLY DARKENED
AND SENT US SCURRYING FOR SHORE

BUT BEFORE THAT
THE DAY HAD BEEN DELIGHTFUL
TOM WAS A COLLEGE CHUM
AND AN AGNOSTIC
WITH A COLLEGE BOY'S DISDAIN
FOR THINGS PARENTAL
AMONG THEM BEING GOD

BUT THE STORM CAME UP
WE RACED BEFORE IT
AND LOST
TURNED OVER
SWEPT OVER
INTO THE SEA
EXCEPT I CAUGHT THE BOAT
AND A ROPE

ONLY ONE COULD I SAVE
ONLY ONE
I LOVE YOU JOHN I CRIED
AS I SAILED THE ROPE TO TOM
AND SAVED HIM

WHILE MY SON DRIFTED AWAY
TO DIE

NO TIME TO CRY
I SAVED ONE
THE OTHER I GAVE TO GOD
RETURNING FRIEND TO FRIEND
THE OTHER I KEPT ALIVE
SO THAT GOD MIGHT HAVE
A LONGER CHANCE WITH HIM

I GAVE UP MY SON
LIKE GOD
NOT AN EASY CHOICE
I DO NOT THINK
IT WAS AN EASY CHOICE FOR THE GOD
WHO DWELLS IN THE TOWERING THUNDERHEAD
EITHER

FRANK A. VOLLMER