Lightship

You may never have

heard of a lightship. Once, lightships

anchored on waters

across America,

on the oceans

and in the Great Lakes,

floating where lighthouses

could not be built.

Smaller than most ships,

but more steadfast, too,

they held their spots,

through calm and storm,

to guide sailors

toward safe waters. In these pages

one lightship

and her crew (and cat)

again hold their place.

The crew goes

again from bow to stern,

from keel to mast,

to run their engines,

shine their lights,

and sound their horns. They run the small ship

that guides the large ships.

They are the crew (and cat)

that work to make the ocean safe,

that hold their place,

so other ships can sail. Come aboard