The Waters

The waters of the Mediterranean lap the shores
In monochromatic shades of blue

Gentle, clear and brilliant as a sapphire aglow
They caress the cliffs of Capri
Echoing the boatman's songs in hidden grottos

Indigo and enigmatic, they polish the sands
Of silent, sleeping Delos
As the winds whisper through the marble streets
And the birthplace of the Gods majestically watches
Dignified, powerful-even in its decay

Blue-green with the brown of age
They ribbon past palaces and mosques of Istanbul
Swirling slowly, undulating like a brown-skinned dancer
Exotic, mystical, unconquered though men have claimed them so

Smoky-blue as lotus incense rising in a temple
They boldly hold the coast of Egypt
Drinking the delta waters of the Nile
As it finishes its nurturing journey

The waters play with ships
Tossing them, rolling them
Like a child with a ball
At times Poseidon's rage bursts forth
"Inconveniencing" unsuspecting travelers
But reminding the knowing mariners
Of the respect due the Gods

The steel-cold, blue-black of the Atlantic
Pays homage to the waters
The waters of antiquity
That watched the birth of mankind's civilizations

And their decline
That have carried man's ships

The waters watch still

Timeless

Formless

Eternal