Dragon Prows Poem by Marilyn Shepperson

The night had been hot and humid
I arose before the light of morning
Unable to sleep, I walked down to the beach
Just as the sky was pearling with dawn
A thick white mist rolled up from the sea
Turning the air suddenly chilly
Deadening all sound, till all was silenced
With no calling birds, no people, no traffic
Nothing and no-one, but me; 'twas profound
I strolled by the weed covered dunes
That rose high and steep, above my head
Turning at the stream that comes down from the hills
To find that the mist had grown thicker still
As I wandered back, to return home
I heard a soft, splashing noise
And slowly through the mist, I saw
The dragon prows of three Viking boats
Almost silently, the wild looking men
Leapt into the water and strode ashore
Dragging the boats up onto the strand
They looked around, yet strangely enough
Did not seem to see me
Although fear stricken, I stood rooted
Unable to move, unwilling to flee
The men donned helmets and adjusted shields
Drew swords and axes, ready for the kill
A few stayed with the boats
While the rest advanced towards the dunes
At that moment, the sun rose into the sky
Dispersing the mist with the heat of a new day
As the mist disappeared, so did the ghosts
Fading away into nothing once more
But the last things to vanish from sight
Were the beautifully carved dragon prows.