We were drifting at sea, just the dinghy and me <br />and the weather had so far been grand <br />when out of the clouds came a rumble so loud <br />that I buried my face in my hands <br /> <br />The dinghy spun round as the thunderous sound <br />made the two of us shudder with fear <br />so I hauled in the sail to prepare for the gale <br />that was billowing in from the rear <br /> <br />The storm gathered pace and the sea joined the race <br />to see who could dispose of us first <br />with the surge closing fast I clung on to the mast <br />as the rain clouds decided to burst <br /> <br />I was sure we would drown as the torrent poured down <br />and the waves came alarmingly high <br />our future looked grim as the water gushed in <br />and the lightning flashed over the sky <br /> <br />The dinghy took fright and leapt up in the night <br />to be dashed down again by the waves <br />and all I could see for the dinghy and me <br />was the writing on both of our graves <br /> <br />I tightened my grip as we both took a dip <br />in a trough that was deep as a well <br />but the dinghy held fast and we surfaced at last <br />though the pressure was starting to tell <br /> <br />Then just when it looked like our goose had been cooked <br />it was suddenly tranquil and clear <br />no sign of the rain or the stormy campaign <br />that had almost destroyed our careers <br /> <br />As I rose to my knees there was barely a breeze <br />and the clouds were as dry as a bone <br />no thunderous vaults and no lightning bolts <br />just the dinghy and me on our own <br /> <br />Beneath the blue sky sat the dinghy and I <br />on a sea that was smoother than cream <br />then I opened my eyes and to both our surprise <br />we discovered it was only a dream<br /><br />Neil McGreevy<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-nautical-tale/
