What do you do with the drunken sailor who swabs the deck of the ship that’s sails will never billow, that’s mast will never quiver in the gales, that’s hull will never leave its port, what do you do with a life left to nothing and no one, left and right, up and down, down, down into the earth that ship will travel to the center of the earth, all fire and brimstone, burning in the heart of one man, a man left to his own unrestrained devices of passion, time and passion are all you need to get by in the world today, the former passes by so quickly, the later we never seem to run out, without the gauge saying you tried too hard, move on, move on float to a new port where your ropes are not forever tied down and lashed to another, another day, another time, another year of the fire unkindled, unburdened by logs weighing down on the soul caught up in a raging inferno of the still unknown, what do you do with the sailor so drunk that he cannot stop but leap into the incineratory flames, oh how the ship catches fire so quickly, so easily it burns for it has been dried out from the sea that kept it going, the love and care is all gone and the drunken sailor swabs on and on and on, desperately using the sea to replenish the ship’s shimmer and shine, it is all burned away, what do you do with the drunken sailor so early in the morning when there exists no need anymore on a ship that will never set sail and discover a new world of wonders.
Too many people wander this life in a type of drunken stupor. With vision mired by the woes of the world and the sadness of so many forgotten people, they continue about their daily routine without attempting to break away and really see what the world is about. They remain trapped in their jobs, the day to day, pay the bills, submit the project, drive through rush hour, people remain trapped in their lives. Passion passes by without any outlet, dreams float away without any actualization, minds leave us where we left off without any progress. Don’t get drunk off of the liquor of our systemized world. Embrace your dreams, your passions – life is too short to remain at the office all your life. Drop the sail of your potential and catch the winds of change! Discover the wonders that are missed in the hustle.
This is a piece of creative writing that I did during a sleepless night as a first year college student. It really holds a strong place in my train of thought today. As I try to not get lost in the day to day, of going to school and getting all my stuff done to be able to pass and get good grades, and I attempt to keep my passion fired up for helping African communities in need of basic healthcare. This is a problem that I witness all too often. People forget what the real cause is for which they are fighting.
Alex B. Hill 