The Broken Vessel

Drifting toward the restless sea

I saw a shape approaching me

It was a ship upon the waves

A soothing silent song it gave

With a nodding of its wooden head

From a distant land to me was led

And as it neared the sandy shore

A flag proclaimed what prize it bore

Through open doors and in the hold

A book was bound in leather gold

With pages crisp and printing bold

The volume new but message old

The words spun tales of love for me

All from the Master of the sea

They made my zealous heart to burn

And long to have the boat return

With service for the other side

My spirit willing but ocean wide

I labored over what to send

And launched the ship into the wind

But as it traveled homeward bound

There came an ominous thunder sound

The storm raged on, the lightning flashed

The bow was tossed, against waves it crashed

The humbled sails no longer soared

A broken vessel returned to shore

The sand beneath my feet exclaimed

Why not give up? You’ve nothing gained

But as I wavered, book in hand

It fell and opened on the sand

The pages sang in unity

That Faith and Love will set you free

My fear now fled, I gave a shout

Though sails are tattered I'll not doubt

And then the wind was turned about

The sea arose, turned inside out

And I, the book, the boat and sea

Were at the place prepared for me

In the presence of the one

Who wrote the words that called me home