Absalom, Absalom
Absalom Boston was the first black American to captain a whale-ship,
The Industry, with an all-black crew in 1822.
We left the harbor a new nation,
The wind very fair in our faces.
There was a ledger with every name,
None would be lost, none were.
We rendered our catch, the whale
A blessing, a sign from the Lord
That He saw us, little enough
Upon His great waters. His eye
Watched us like the whale’s, kindly,
And none of the men minded
When we prayed for her soul, her oil,
Seventy barrels’ worth, undeniable fortune.
One voyage, a proof of concept, sirs;
Only salt can wear us down and the sea
Herself loves us, sent us home unscathed.
Daisy Bassen is a psychiatrist and poet. She has been published in several journals, including Oberon, Adelaide Literary Review, and The Delmarva Review, nominated for two Pushcart Prizes, and lives in Rhode Island with her family.