~ Lighthouse Keeper ~

Just before the sun has set
And the bitter cold sets in,
When the wind is whipping up a gale
The night shift can begin.

With heavy overcoat of winter warmth
And hat pulled tight to fight the frost,
He unlocks the door to climb the stair
To ensure no other life is lost.

The prism rubbed to keenest shine
Each window scrubbed of salt,
Every cog carefully oiled, the light to turn
To pierce the swirling fog.

A cargo freighter steams on by
And the keeper smiles a sweet content,
As he settles down to record the log
With his usual diligence.

Temperature and atmospheric pressure
Wind speeds of mighty knots,
Rain measurement and swell
With the rocks below awash.

But, the beacon circles on it's beam
As the darkness drifts on by,
'Til third watch, when morning star heralds dawn
And the great light rules the sky.

Then the keeper gently trims the glow
And descends the stair once more,
Time now to rest, for it is day
As he softly locks the door.

Soft Whispers from
Derry's Heart Poems © 2005
heartwhispers@iinet.net.au



Give me a spirit of peace, dear Lord,
Midst the storms and the tempests that roll,
That I may find rest and quiet within,
A calm buried deep in my soul.
~Dawe~

God does not shield us
from life's storms;
He shows His light to us
In life's storms.