Nels Hanson’s most recent poem to appear here was “The Dream” (May 2018). 

Rescue
By Nels Hanson

The lifeboat rocked all night,
everyone sick except our novice
captain at the tiller in the dark
steering us far from the hungry
wreck we escaped when bow,
mid-ships, stern, bow spun in
whirlpool taking most, circling
with famished mouth. Prayed,
rowed past sunrise to discover
gentler seas, scanned for hope
of land, bleached ghostly craft
I make out and wave our flag,
white sheet just now a gusting
sail booming like near cannon
fire from the mast of two roped
oars I climb. And there you are,
white hospital ship, a red cross,
white strake, at prow you dressed
in white, calling Aloha!, Aloha!,
waving purple lei, gold strands
in your auburn windswept hair.