Whaler’s Lament Poem by Robert Sheridan

The sun has set upon my watery grave
The sea and its waves know me and I have parted
The indications are strong that I will never return
There is a whisper in the sea wind of promises unspoken;
The sea heaved-up, hung loaded o'er our whaling ship New Bedford
The waves broke there and buried me with its tumultuous strength
For a debt was owed to those who went before me
I was willing to lay down all my joys in this life – just under the surface, I will be an orphan of silence;
I can no longer see the distant light, nor hear our children’s laughter all surrounding
It shattered the silence that was so heavy to bear
For it lifted my soul into the night
And filled my heart with undying love abounding;
The memories of these blissful moments come creeping over me like the sea
And I am most gratified to God and to you my dear Maggie
That I was able to enjoy them, even for a fleeting moment
My love for you and our children is deathless;
Yet my love of whaling creeps over me like the vapors from a squall
That pushed and pulled me un-resistibly on, like rusted chains to the sea-life
Held strongly together at first, now separated as it cast me adrift
You my dear, are my mourning widow, whaling my adulteress;
I now have misgivings about the cause to which I was engaged
Maggie, forgive my faults and the pains that I now cause you
How thoughtless and foolish I had oft times been
And now divine providence has whispered to me a wafted prayer – I return to you and our children all my love unharmed;
If the dead can come back to earth
And flit unseen on the happiest of days and the darkest
Always I will blow a soft gentle breeze upon your cheeks
Memories, as you sit in widows’ weeds, with naked feet over my empty coffin;
'Tis time for the icy waters to abate, for your mourning to cease
I no longer face a sea of darkness
For you have brought me peace
Maggie, never forget how much I love you.


'2007'