Lighthouse

He saw her in calm waters,
Sailing peaceful on the sea.
He marveled at the beauty
In the way her heart was free.
She sang into the breeze, and
Pulled with fervor at her sail,
She smiled into sunlight
And left laughter in her trail.
He saw her when the storm came,
And the waves threw her about,
She tried to steer to safety,
But could not find her way out.
The wind rushed, loud and heavy,
And the rain came crashing down,
She sailed on, stern and driven,
But he feared that she would drown.
He loved her in the darkness,
As he’d loved her in the light,
And burned to watch her struggle
All alone within the night.
And so he drove his heart down
Into truth, like stakes in stone,
And lit himself with strength, so
She could always see it shown.
He would not see her anchored
By the tempest, so he swore
That he would be her lighthouse
Standing steady on the shore.

– s. Clark