The hissing wind and the swishing sea

with a vengeance turns the wind to lee

Ragging sails, the ship is free

Seagull screams in the distance see

Distraught people in a ship at sway

Creaking stern and the ropes'll, fray

Vociferous sounds of the angry spray

To ghastly thoughts the heart a prey

Not a soul aboard that doth not pray

Rising hands against the wicked gray

O' Lord "Save us from the swishing array"

Confusion mounting screams of dismay

Such was the scene and even yet

A man in white I cannot forget

Unaware of all the cold and wet

he sat eyes closed and face all set

He muttered to himself now and then

free from feelings of where and when

The calm of his face in darkness shown

with a majestic grandeur; he left his throne

Thus he spoke to the people aloud

"Brothers and sisters look at the cloud

The lord remembers his creation's plight

Through the crevice comes a ray of light

The rescue boats you need not fight

For yonder look the land's in sight"

Original

Saadat

(from personal files--Vintage 1985)