A whispering mist
Reaching land
Gently, softly
Calling like a siren
Song
Your voice
Carried in the rhythm
Of the wind
To where i stand
And watch the water
Like
A soft hand
On my bristly cheek
Caressing,
Undressing me
Till all is bared before you…
The ocean is many things
Although I’d like to think
The sea is my home
I’ve travelled enough
To know that
‘tis a mighty beast
With hands
That can pull under
The mightiest of men
The tumult
Of the waters
As it rages
Is dangerous
And even when it is calm
The mirror image
Can be unnerving
But somehow
Standing on the shore
As the tide licks
My toes
I feel like
It wouldn’t be so bad
To get lost in the undertow…
A whispering mist
Reaching land
Reaches my heart
Here where I stand
Carrying words unspoken…
And so I watch the ocean hug the shore
And wish it was the night before
When you held me as I slept
Held me, as my heart wept
with joy
Tears unseen
Feeling more loved than I’ve ever been…
The tumult of my deep
Is tamed
By the grace and love
You so freely gave
Endless like the ocean
As mysterious as its depths,
Taming the maelstrom
Here within my head
Andre Darius Labuschagne is a poet, musician, and pastor from Johannesburg, South Africa. He is currently involved with various church movements – and his theological and philosophical beliefs are reflected in his poems. A recovering drug addict, his poetry also explores themes of mental illness, substance abuse, finding God, and the process of growing towards completeness.