Hear the whisper of waters:

Upon my dark shallows, glide
Buoyant, near coastline confide 

Shore scarce known, calls swift ships names

Rocks well cloaked, offer no spray

Surging foamed swells speak tides’ gain

Vessel by the mariners mind trained
 

In ill-perceptions, huddled mineral mass

Forbids, unwary, that none should pass

Save wisdoms soundings, charting depths

Left trespassers’ ignorance plunge into death

A graveyard of weary and hard of skin

Answered shout from the shoreline, “come in

And away from the long tended deep,

I have your desires in the hold of my keep” 

Upon my dark shallows, glide
Buoyant, near coastline confide 

Dare one drop anchor in swirled-green pools

Where white water rises on rocks under fools

The blindness is minds’ stress and powerful dreams

As reason takes a plank walk, and port bow screams

A weigh with the anchor, great gash to the bow

It’s too late with flood gates open just now

Waters come rising, sure as night falls

The ship lists, men raise fists

Drown by twilight; they hear coasts’ call,

Upon my dark shallows, glide
Buoyant, near coastline confide

“Are you come to be filled by thoughts in your head

To fare in the bounty of which I have said,

Come into sweet water, my hold you will reap

And stay in the shallows, away from the deep.”

“So, staying you are, and that by my locks

The dangers of shallows are hidden rocks

Be now acquainted with reefs built of brave

Dead dreamt before you, with none to save.” 

Upon my dark shallows, glide
Buoyant, near coastline confide 

In years to the latter, a tall ship draws near

Hears the beckoning,  shore scarce known

The crux of the matter, do not hearken, 

The well cloaked rocks are waiting locks

As heart’s vain dream is a spell bemoaned

The shore scarce known isn’t by name

(Though some say Death Shallows

And others, Reef Grave)

The beautiful lie is the skin of the truth

As the toll exacted is in aged and youth

Best you be wary, should shore call one’s name

The wishers and the weary to the end of life’s game