The Guardian

The Winds rise up

sending waves against me

trying to destroy me!

BASTARD!

You cannot defeat me!

You cannot overcome my strength,

the strength of 100 years

The sea surges sending

Wave after wave after wave

wave

after wave

I stand

immobile and unyielding

You cannot defeat me!

Puny storm

so called

MIGHTY HURRICANE

Many have tried

sending their winds

and waves against me

only to be defeated by me,

the guardian of the island city

More winds,

stronger now,

the eye approaches

The gusts push the ocean against me,

only to be thwarted

by the strength of my immobility

A tiny pier cracks and splinters

then suddenly it shatters,

giving way and smashing into me.

Puny sticks

cast at me by my foe.

The Gulf pushes at me.

It pulls sand from my granite feet

unmoving.

I am here forever

guarding the city at my back

from the ocean in my face,

The rain passes over me

and splatters harmlessly on my shoulders

cleansing my city.

The wind clears out old buildings,

renewing her once more.

Once she had been a proud city

a rich and powerful city

full of ships bearing merchandise from afar

returning King Cotton to the world.

But my relentless enemy struck her a crippling blow!

If only I had been there!

The sea would never have ravished her so!

She would have been safe,

as she is now.

The dirty streets are being washed clean

cleansed by salty rain

splattering on cheap houses and

rich Victorian homes of old

standing side by side.

The sea weakens

and the winds die down.

The hurricane is tiring.

Soon the sun will come out.

Those I protect will walk on my shoulders

their children, young and full of life

will play in the sand at my feet.

Like the storm, those kids will grow old.

Running to the ocean will turn to pleasant strolls on the sidewalk.

They will grow old

and die.

But not me.

I stand forever

a stone and granite guardian,

protecting my precious city.

As storms,

and people

pass

I am immortal.