They fought mightily 
at the bottom of the bulkhead 
at the bottom of the stairs
leading to the main deck

The small cruiser was anchored 
at the lip of a beautiful lagoon 

They each had a death’s grip
on the mailbag 
that held the secret code
that unlocked the unyielding 
Power, from the deepest fissures 

This was the secret that 
would break the psychotic trance
that had immobilized 
the entire crew
Of the other
smaller boat
Anchored fathoms
near the deep center 
of the aquamarine depths

He simply had to get that code
These were the sacred syllables 
that would change everything 

The other had been ordered
by his superiors 
to guard the code 
with his life

and so the exhaustive struggle 
for the future 
went on and on

July 27, 2025 SGL Brunswick, ME