Dawn To Dusk

• Katerina Papadakis, Grade 12
• Poetry
• 2011

The admiral paces his office, passing the portraits of the fallen
The maps and charts lay scattered, a shipwreck of the past
The waving flag beckons; he remembers why they fight:

For the rush of the wind and the spray of the sea
For the sails unfurling in the breeze
For the rise of the sun and the diamond night
For the birds that soar into the sky

The lady unfolds the letters, written in his unmistakable slant
She aches for his presence, and the timber of his voice
Her daughter twirling in a flag reminds her why they fight:

For the glitter of the ocean and the roll of the waves
For the flames that flicker from dying embers
For the streaks of lightning and the light of the dawn
For the ship that sails into the horizon

They know that not all treasure is gold; they cannot stop the bloodshed
So they vow never to forget those who fight under the banner of freedom