A Dream that Became Reality

On the summer break
After my sophomore year
At the University,
I wanted to get away
From the tedium
Of my studies,
And do something
Outrageously adventurous.
Besides, that year had been
Almost a let down
After the commotion of my
Freshman year.
Though I had never been sailing,
Didn’t have a boat,
Or even know anyone who did,
And had never traveled
Beyond the US border,
Except for brief excursions
Into Mexico as a child,
I decided to try
Sailing around the world.
All I had to go on
Was naive enthusiasm
And resolute determination
Not to let anything
Stand in my way.
On shear impulse,
I called my younger brother
And my aunt over in Hawaii
And told them
What I intended to do.
To their credit,
They didn’t try to inject
Reasonableness or sanity
Into my dream, in fact,
They wanted to go too.
I flew over to the big island
To join them,
And two weeks later,
We set sail
For the South Pacific
As crew members
Aboard a 109 foot
Gaff rigged ketch.
A patently absurd dream
Had taken hold
And convinced reality
To go along for the ride.