Emotional Ocean
We sail or putt a tiny skiff,
When tidal waves force us adrift
_Over white caps of fear,
Or love or strife, or grief or hate…
When storms of life do saturate
_And waves swell dark and drear.
Emotions surge and drench our lives—
Gasping for air, will we survive?
_Shall we give Him the helm?
He helps us steer through currents’ flow—
Redeems us from its undertow
_Into a calmer realm.
Peter Venable has been writing poetry for fifty years and his poems have appeared in The Lyric, The Merton Seasonal, The Christian Century, and other publications. More of his work can be found at petercvenable.wordpress.com. His “Roofless Church” merited an Honorable Mention in The Best Poems of 2024 in the SCP’s International Poetry Competition.
Amen!
The title of this poem, alone, should provide the reader with the keys to its understanding. After that, the words just roll on over the sensorium and the mindset of an attuned listener.
Lovely and so true, Peter. Thank you. I like
the music in your title.
Appreciate comments. The concept of “emotional ocean” I find useful when affirm others’ overwhelming feelings. Cheers.
Stormily imagined, Peter, with fine use of many sea terms–but calmly concluded, showing where to find a trustworthy helmsman. You are correct in your reply to the earlier comments. The “emotional ocean” concept is indeed useful in affirming feelings we see around us.