Christmas Poem

Having funked out and settled for buying gift certificates for the family, I tried to redeem myself by giving them a poem as well:

South China Sea

In his twenty-first year, all alone and aloof,
stood a thin, pensive, young man, his back to the war;
to his front the expanse of the South China Sea.
He looked East o'er the Oceans to an unseen shore.

But over the smooth rim of the Earth were hidden
his past and his future, neither here to be seen.
So he talked to the Sea, and waited a reply,
not buoyed nor depressed, by the silent marine:

"Will I know Love? Will it know me? Has she a name?
Is Loneliness my destined companion for life?
Will a special someone share my hopes and my joys?
Will she stand by me through all the tumult and strife?"

And the strong Sea whispered: "Love!" But he did not hear.

"Where is my life? Where will it go: light at the end?
Or is gloomy foreboding my future address?
Will it be long or short; happy, sad or tragic?
I fear the answers; tell me all nevertheless."

And the still Sea whispered: "Life!" But he did not hear.

"Will my life be of Hope or of sunless despair?
Will I learn to smile in the darkness of black night?
Or is my solemn look destined never to crack?
Only tell me what fate lies in wait: shadows or light?"

And the wise Sea answered: "Hope!" But he did not hear.

So sadly he turned and went back to war, no wiser.
But the Sea carried his words over Earth's far rim,
Over waters so placid, filled with ships of all sorts
to beautiful islands that in the great Ocean swim.

And there was a lovely Asian girl, eighteen years,
whose poetic name, it is said, is Lonely Heart.
She was pondering her life and where it would lead.
So she looked to the East and asked God for her part.

But she turned as she heard sound in the Western wind.
"Love! Life! Hope!" it said. And she wondered what it meant.
Now in the West, far away in time and space,
I can hear those old words and I know the intent.

Lonely Heart is my love and companion for life.
I've held Life in my arm and sung her to sleep.
Hope made me smile while I carried her on my back.
And I owe this to the South China Sea, so deep.