by Pavel Chichikov
We're all in the same boat
Sail on the harp-stringed lake
Kinneret
Born to die – if we don't catch fish
We don't eat bread
We live on olive pits
Backbones hurt from sitting down
On thwarts and gunnels
Fingers burn from mending knots
Our wives complain there isn't enough
That the lake is mean
And they're right
We get old fast, our joints seize up
The sun's heat cracks the skin,
Our faces burnt
We fret about the ancient boat
The boards wear thin –
It keeps us up at night
But we're all in the same boat
Partners woeful,
Where's delight?
Where the catch is good
And the storms keep off
And the joins are tight
We're all in the same boat but for Him
Who walks on the outside
Round the boat
He plays the wind like winter strings
And wanders the storm
Till red sunset
He is the wind
The yelling storm
And yet is not
He eats and sleeps and speaks like us
But
The living Word is sweet
The presence around Him, in Him
Shines
Like a stern light shines through deep midnight
Visit Pavel's website at Grey Owl Press.
Note: Pavel will read selections of his poetry at Franciscan University (Steubenville, OH) on January 25, 2002. For more information contact Professor David Craig of the Department of English.
