A Whaling Tale

A Whaling Tale

by Gabriel Magno

The whaling ships approach as I stare into the bay,

today I said by short farewells, to friends who pled I stay.

A whaler I have dreamt to be, since I stood three feet tall,

my name appears among the list of worker’s on the wall.

I grab my heavy backpack, and board the pungent ship,

as whalers celebrate with wine, a long successful trip.

We sail under the moon light, as we brave the crashing waves,

and as the morning sun appears, the ocean now behaves.

The captain calls all hands on deck, to start the daily hunt,

he points and shouts "there she blows", the whale we’ll soon confront.

Harpoon in hand I spot it rising, as we meet briefly eye to eye,

with trembling hands I cannot throw, and watch the peaceful creature die.

The captain shouts "throw hard, throw true, before it swims away",

instead I dropped this lethal spear, and prayed it lives another day.

As I stood watching, another whaler did his duty and it was cast,

but as the Northern winds blew hard, it missed the whale who fled at last.

The captain’s wrath I took in stride, I count the hours until we land,

and no more do I dream of whaling, against it now I’ll surely stand.

God’s creatures one and all, are born like you and me,

to dwell in this a wondrous earth, longing to live peaceful and free.