As the sun shined through
She squinted her eyes
And waves came crashing
As they said their goodbyes
He boarded Blue Heaven
Up went the sails
They exited the harbor
On came the gales
Two days and three nights
The heavens did pour
Two weeks, sleepless nights
Only worry onshore
Then came the sight
Of the battered old ship
Drifting the bight (Menemsha)
Tattered and ripped
Not a soul was found
Only a note
In a bottle still sound
Her lover, he wrote
With the sun in your eyes
On the day that I left
Made me realize
At the time of my death
No matter how hard
Any storm may blow
If it takes me to heaven
I want you to know
I’ll be waiting for you
For as long as it takes
To hold you again
To fix my mistakes
We’ll walk on the shore
With the sun in our eyes
I’ll love you much more
Than nature defies
I’ll wrap you in silk
I’ll build you a ship
And together we’ll sail
Blue Heaven’s last trip
Over calm seas
As gentle winds blow
Embracing each other
Sailing, where no one else go
To our piece of heaven
With the sun in our eyes
Never parting again
Only love as our guide …
By Philip A. Zentz
As a young man, Philip A. Zentz worked summers on Martha’s Vineyard, commercial fishing out of Menemsha and building stone walls. A retired carpenter, cabinetmaker and schoolteacher, he now lives in East Bridgewater, but often visits relatives here.