Cockpit Watch at 5:00am

Gently rolling ocean 

       vast, soft as velvet
            lifts and lowers effortlessly

Sea and ship move together

       as one 

            like baby in her womb
Crew belowdecks dreams
 

Night's last hour

reveals black sky

       brilliant

            stars

Venus boldly declares herself 

       in the East 

Before Sun takes her watch

Ursa Major, Alaska's muse, stands
       impossibly end on end, 

            handle pointing down

Stars shoot trailing light

       boldly declaring their demise

            like dad did

My soul man at the helm,

Barely awake after overnight watch

Venus with her power steers us 

       into each other before
           he retires belowdecks

And I make coffee

To begin my day