The sunshine of the early morn
Still hides below the sea
Afraid to see its glowing face,
There it lingers out in space:
It knows appearance in this place
Would crash serenity.

I stand here at the fantail,
Ignorant of time,
I know not what the clock may say,
I've been here since late yesterday.
I hope the sun will stay away,
And, glad that it is gone,
I realize that this peacefulness
Will falter with the dawn.

The placid waves creep slowly by,
The ship's far out at sea.
I feel the calmest gentle breeze,
Nomadic thoughts drift endlessly;
From side to side, the rolling ease,
The ship plows on contentedly.

Tonight the ocean's surface
Displays texture like to glass.
The smoothness yet unbroken,
And no boisterous word is spoken,
And the only telltale taken
Is the wake left as we pass.

No land in sight on this cool night,
The ocean dominates
The sea itself has no idea
of the peace which she creates.

In the silence I can meditate;
My thoughts come clear to me.
I'm free to ponder on the past,
In wonder what ahead may be.
The noiseless sea empowers me
With insight, and collectively
We watch the world roll by.

This moment's mixed with sadness,
and loneliness returns,
But sadness stays not long with me;
As I survey the ocean sea,
I know my dear one waits for me,
And love's bright light still burns.

The eastern sky is growing bright;
Clouds touched with pink and gray,
The solar sphere will soon appear
To float the magic which is here,
And, too, the time is drawing near
For night to fade away.

The fiery globe breaks o'er the sea,
The lingering spell a memory.
And now the sun shows half its face.
The boatswain's pipe blows reveille.