The poem I wrote is very personal to me, but I would very much like to share it with others, especially the people of Newfoundland.
Perry Fleming
Lamaline, NL

Just a boy I go to sea
My father and me
In a small boat
On and over the waves she float
No land in sight
nor seagull in flight
As I jig for the cod
I give thanks to god
I look to the east
A heavenly sight not in the least
on the horizon I see the sun
such beauty to see, a tear did run
It looks to rise from the ocean
Although just a notion
In memory sure to last
never to be forgotten fast
The Atlantic treated us so well
But then she started to swell
And the fog rolled in
It was best to leave with a win
The Atlantic is strong
To say there was no fear would be wrong
We were far from land
and not wanting to give her an upper hand
I was on the tiller to steer
My father on the compass, at which he did peer
To the port or the starboard he would say
And I would steer the way
I hope you know where you’re going old man, I did think
When facing fear, best not to blink
Our little boat had no fear
The memory of her I hold dear
She hit the waves head on
Up and down and over the crest she had gone
The engine made a putt putt sound
As she spun the propeller round
We rode the waves for a very long time it did seem
Our boat and us were a team
Together we were brave
Relying on one another to save
Land was near for I heard a familiar sound
I knew we were homeward bound
For it was the lighthouse making her call
On the cliff she stood tall
She only spoke when there was fog
A beautiful sound forever to log
Soon after we saw her light
that shined so bright
Guiding us to home
from where we did roam
A great respect for my father I did feel
you could not get any more real
He was brave to fish
To make the Atlantic an enemy you do not wish
I gained much respect for her as well
to this day it has not fell
I overcame my fear
would receive no lear
for I had grown much on that day
to be a man I learned the way.