After throwing words at the page for a bit on this cold and wet Tuesday, leaves stuck to the deck outside caught my attention, and I followed the nautical imagery. Because I have a limited understanding of sailboats I was cautious here before throwing nautical terms into perilous analogies.

So, I only threw one term–apparent wind–into the poem. Having been a middle school science teacher as well as having a masters degree in Physics, I think I understand that term, a bit like the idea of net forces on an object, where there may be hundreds of forces on a particular ship, let’s say, but only one effective force.

Apparent wind is a bit different, at least in how the wind that affects the ship becomes apparent, but I instantly connected with the idea that in some ways we are on ships in our lives that are blown this way and that, sometimes running aground of course, always being pushed in ways that are beyond our knowing.

There is plenty to work on here, I think. The wording is cumbersome, especially the use of the prepositional construct “with which”. I do like some of the internal rhymes–sinking down and run aground being an example. The poems structure doesn’t require them, but they fit and are not trying to be too clever.