The Ship Song
My ship is strong and carries all
My friends and family with me.
The sea can’t wreck or ruin my oars
Because my ship runs automatically.
No need for sails or the wind’s whims,
The ocean’s waves are but a pretty sight,
But at night, on the deck, I walk and wonder
Of life before this ship’s security.
Once all I had was a drunken boat
And each sea-change was life or death.
Once I was drenched every hour, afloat
Was enough, and fear was a constant friend.
Do I miss it? It’s hard to say. Nostalgia
Is the privilege of those who make it out alive.
I could have drowned in the waves and not boredom
Like I am now. But even that is romanticized.
Sameen Shakya’s poems have been published in Alternate Route, BOMBFIRE, Havik, WINK, and Teach Write, to name a few. Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, he moved to the USA in 2015 to pursue writing. He earned an Undergraduate Degree in Creative Writing from St Cloud State University and travelled the country for a couple of years to gain a more informal education. He returned to Kathmandu in 2022 and is currently based there.