Troubled Waters Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

"Uh...
Captain? "

What is it now?
And don't tell me someone else,
Has jumped overboard.
Too excited to reach shore.
To announce the coming,
Of the 'chosen one'.
I must admit.
I get goosebumps myself.

"No.
Those not that foolish,
Have decided to wait...
Patiently.
For the life jackets,
You repeatedly promised...
Were ordered.
Although you cancelled.
Ignoring their requests."

Idiots.
Scum bucket lickers.
So...
Why the look of concern?

"Well...
The ship you command,
Seems to be sinking quicker...
Than previously anticipated.
And the crew quarters,
Have begun to flood.
By troubled waters,
All of us warned you about.
What should we do?
Instead of pretending,
The ship, the rest of the crew...
Will continue our journey.
With no need to be rescued."

Rescued from what?
Malicious rumors?
Faked observations?
People convinced I am incompetent?
Unworthy to command,
With a brilliance my adorning fans...
Expect.
Just open the windows,
Of the floors being flooded.
And let the water,
Find its way out!
How difficult is that?
Why bother me when you should know,
How easy that task is to do yourself.

"But...
You were the one,
Who made us take an oath.
To obey what you say without it to question."

I remember.
So right you are.
Those were the good days.
How I miss the crowd size.
Oh yes.
When am I scheduled to make,
My next appearance?
And where,
Should I expect that to take place?

"Uh...
Sir? "

Yes.

"As distressing as this may be,
For you to hear.
I don't think the ship,
And anyone left on it.
Can stay afloat too much longer.
Before the bottom,
Has been successfully reached."

Distressing.
That's great news.
Have my speech writers,
Say something like...
"How proud I am to have commanded this ship,
Like no one else in history...
Has ever done or will do ever again! "

"Well...
The ones you described,
As being overwhelmed with excitement.
Wanting to announce your arrival?
They were your speechwriters."

Oh?
Fantastic.
At least 'they' are pro-active!
I can not wait to review what they've written.
Hopefully,
I will be able to stay on script.
Sometimes they want me to say stuff,
That makes no sense to me at all.
Anything else.

"No.
I'm too caught up in the moment.
And...
Lost for words."