2 poems for my father

The Lion inWinter

His passion was the sea,

His boat the Foudroyant

His mistress

His true love

On the water he felt free

All aches evaporated

As his spirits soared

And he felt

At one with God

92 years to heaven

His mind clear as fresh water

A photo of Foudroyant

Graces his den

Foudroyant in full sail

The spinnaker

Oh the spinnaker

Drifting home at dusk

With the wind at your back

Oh let us embark

And make another sail!

Quo Fata Ferunt

The sailor is in port,

Only memories of high seas

And canals and the Hebrides

Oh but the memories,

Ephisus and Barcelona,

Leningrad and Letterkenney,

Hong kong and Sydney

From the Pacific to the Baltic,

Every continent and many a byway

His mind still fertile,

The memories still bright as stars

Of Foudroyant and a dream come true

To see the world by boat

The intrepid sailor

Long may he live

And be an inspiration to us all.