Our lives are driven

by a state of fear,

our voices downtrodden

and so hard to hear.

The captain and crew

are in it for themselves,

all others are pushed

to the back of the shelf. 


 

Captains of industry

and lords in their halls

bawl at each other

dividing their spoils.

Two or three houses

and more than one car,

just who the hell

do they think they are? 


 

And the captain orders full steam ahead

as we all look on with fear and dread.

The boilers are lit and the pressure is high,

with our uplifted faces, we beseech the sky. 


 

Such a treacherous sea

as we steam on by

and the tips of the icebergs

are all we can spy

but the real danger lurks

beneath cold, dark waves.

Taking risks with our lives

for they think they'll be safe. 


 

We look back in time at

at our checkered past as

we shout and wave

but we're going too fast.

We are on the brink, 

we can see the falls

but the powers that be

are ignoring our calls. 


 

And the captain orders full steam ahead

as we all look on with fear and dread.

The boilers are lit and the pressure is high, 

with our uplifted faces, we beseech the sky. 


 

But the ship ploughs onward

leaving a turbulent wake,

it's too late to stop it;

too late to brake.

On a path of destruction, 

we are sensing the end

but no lifeboats are found

and no mayday to send. 


 

Then out of the east

looms a wave dark and tall,

rolling and threatening

to swamp one and all.

The captain ignores

the insidious threat,

he has his escape route

laid out, you can bet. 


 

The wave swamps the boat

with a shuddering blast

and into the sea, screaming,

we are helplessly cast.

Our ship is rolling over,

the captain is struck

as he foolishly thought

he would have better luck. 


 

And the captain ordered full steam ahead

as we all looked on with fear and dread.

The boilers were lit and the pressure was high as

we sank beneath the waves, losing sight of the sky. 


 

 

Written by Darren Scanlon, 17th April 2014.

Revised 19th May 2015.

©2015 Darren Scanlon. All rights reserved.