napowrimo-april-16th - smell

Salty Air.


Memories abound
Of smell and sight and sound
The salty ocean spray
Transports me any day!
Back to a migrant ship
Where mighty currents rip
Where waves as high as towers
With salty water showers
Wash over us on deck
Amazingly don't wreck
The ship that bops like cork
With blinding speed and torque
The wind rips through our hair
The salt scent fills the air
We hang on to the railing
With lurching stomach ailing
Yet standing at the bow
Feels kind of safe somehow
With thoughts of fear unsaid
We see up far ahead
Another boat as big
Dance a lively jig.
No time to be afraid
I'm sure each person prayed
Somehow all survived
Destinations arrived.
Though years have gone
The memory lingers on
I love the salty air
The feel of wind tossed hair
Toes digging in the sand
Glad to be on land!

© Ingeborg. April 2010

In 1961 our family migrated from Germany to Australia. We left November 30th arriving January 5th in Melbourne. Travelling through some of the worst seasons. Winter in Europe then when we hit the Indian Ocean our ship travelled through 3 cyclones. I only learnt this many years later from the chaplain on board ship who I happened to meet up with. At the time of the journey I was 11 years old and had no idea what a cylone was. The captain not to frighten the passengers did not tell us that the shocking weather was due to cyclones. Standing at the bow on top deck was one way of avoiding throwing up. We had to cling to the railing and spent hours like that with wave upon wave washing over the deck and us. But somehow I fell in love with the ocean and love nothing better than spending time on a beach. Safer of course lol.