OH IF A MAN'S PROCLIVITIES
COULD BE ANCHORED IN ONLY ONE BAY
WHERE THE TIDES ARE CALM AND SOOTHING
PROTECTED AND SHEILDED FROM STORM'S AFFRAYS
TO APPRECIATE THE VESSEL THEY FOUND PLEASURE IN
AGAINST THE COLD WINTER'S SLEIGH OF WAVES
YET WITHIN THEM THEY HAVE STRONG URGES
THAT LEADS THEM THUS SOMETIMES ASTRAY
FROM ALL THAT IS GIVING AND NURTURING
TO THE TEMPTING OF THE NEW ONE'S TEMPORARY DISPLAY
ITS EXCITEMENTS ONLY SHORTLIVED WITHOUT LOVE
SOUL DESTROYING CONFUSING CAUSING CONFLICT
ANIALATING ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THEIR THRONG
FOR LUSTY JAUNTS THAT BRING NO COMFORT
THAT CRUCIAL SPIRITUAL PEACE OF MIND
LET THE TEMPTATIONS TEASE THEM
BUT KNOW THEY ARE WRONG
IF THEY COULD FIND STRENGTH WITHIN THEM
TO IGNORE AND DENY THEIR THREATS
INNER LANDSCAPES THEY WOULD DISCOVER
STAYING WITH THEIR TRUE ONE COULD ONLY ENDURE
FEELING A MOST EUPHORIC PERPETUATING PEACE OF MIND
SURELY THEY WILL HAVE SENSE TO SEE THEY ONLY HAVE
TO BE LESS SELFISH AND TO THEIR LOVED ONES
MORE ATTENTIVE NOT FREE TO WANDER BUT
EVER KIND
Copyright Natasha Anne Kelleher October 2020
Painting by Claude Joseph Vernet - Entitled Seaport By Moonlight 1771
