Upon A Sea Of Red

Upon A Sea of Red
By Dennis W Smith

Steaming, Steaming, Upon A Sea Of Red.

Steaming, Steaming, Upon A Sea Of Red.

Dare We Pray Tonight For Sleep Or Rest?

Or Would A Moment's Lack Of Vigilance Bring

Us That Eternal Sleep That Knows No Sound?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

Once Again The Giant Sleigh With It's Huge Wings

Has Lifted Up From The North Pole ... Bringing What?

.. Bearing Gifts For Us From A Long Ago

Pine-scented Christmas?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

We Laugh, We joke - But The Fear Remains

Deep In Our Bowels!

Fear Of ... What?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

A Great Flash Of Light On The Horizon!

The Deep Bellow Of Rolling Thunder!

But It Is Not Thunder .. Nor Is The Intense

Heat Caused By Lighting Bolts From The Sky!

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

Wise Men Now Appear Before Us As

They Once Did The Manger.

The Sage Tells Us That Our Deeds Will

Bring Peace On Earth Forever.

Peace ... For Who?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

O' Captain, From Your Quarters O'er Us

Where Many Wonderful Secrets Are Kept,

Will You Protect Us?

And If You Shall ... From What?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

The Great Wave Moves Mightily Upon Us!

... Then Silence! Is God Still In His Heaven, Sir?

Do Christmas Angels Tread These Depths?

Is It Snowing Somewhere?

Are Children Laughing Out Loud?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

From Beneath Our Feet The Muffled

Sound Of Bells! Could It Be St. Nick?

No, It Is Only The Wheel House, Ringing The

Engine Room It's Frantic Need For More Speed!

More Speed To Go ... Where? Or Away

From ... What?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

On Dawn's First Light, A Voice Booms Down

The Passage Ways!

"Awaken, My Sons! Santa Came During The

Long Night"-- But, Father, You Know

We Have Not Slept For It Is Forbidden By

Your Own Law And Tempered By Our

Expectations Of Good Things To Come....

... But May We Lie Down This Day, If

Only For An Hour, That We May Dream Of

Toy Soldiers And Dancing Girls Of The Night?

"No, My Sons, For If The Yule Eagle Should

Fly Tonight And Find His Sons Aslumber,

His Wrath Would Be Great. He Would

Find Shame Among You, As Would I.

Steaming, Steaming, Upon A Sea Of Red.

Might It Be Red From The Blood Of Those

Who Have Sailed These Waters Before Us?

Being Young And Foolish, We Do Not Know.

Dennis W Smith

113 Beasley Drive

Hueytown,Alabama 35023

2054342743

smithstar15@bham.rr.com

I'm a 71-year-old totally disabled veteran from nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific in 1962 which is what my poem is about.