His Beloved Pilgrim - warning very very long poem

Rachel's green eyes penetrate the mist
lingering long on the harbor ,
reflecting daylight,
beginning to rise over the barren coastline,
the salty breeze seasoning
her long dark strands as she stands
on the crowded deck,
which flows like a silk scarf
down the ships slender neck;

Richard looks on, hidden behind
a rusty trawler as the sun rises
threatening to reveal
this ravished man and dark disguise;
he feels the cruel whip
a gale wind against his back,
rippled waves slap the ships that remain,
gives no slack;
he despises her New World,
like a jealous lover rejected,
yet given the choice,
goodbye he might to his England bid.

Even now there remains a tug of war,
he swears  he'll not be beat,
until Rachel’s ship disappears
beyond where sky and white caps meet;
revealing an empty horizon,
like an unfinished painting,
Richard his sorrow unbearable,
caresses her ring
while she sails away to find
her beloved freedom without him;
unaware his heart is aboard
the valiant vessel as it crosses
the Atlantic,
his future dark and grim,
held captive by one
very beautiful and beloved Pilgrim.

Weeks pass before Rachel’s ship
docks at the Cape's front door;
the land awake, darkness lifted from its shore;
end of the journey stumbling across the Atlantic,
eager to conceive freedom under it's icy blanket.

Children explore virgin land with wide eyes;
their sense of adventure not so easy to disguise;
some stare at the pretty woman, the ones so bold,
others pretend to be pirates, searching for gold.

Each word, covered in winter's white breath,
snowflakes on tongues, discover their wealth;
Rachel tinged with envy, her imagination marred,
as the children play, in this boundless new yard.
Richard made believe he was a knight once too,
she, his beautiful princess, coming to rescue;
wonders if without him, she will ever be free,
torturing herself with what was to be.

Yet ashes from their love, over the ocean sail,
spread over lonely nights, haunt without fail;
season each memory with a bitter taste,
she must go on and with remorse not waste.

Answering her parent's desperate plea,
to leave for America, where they could be free;
with a strength born of her own convictions,
answers not the mockers and doomed predictions.
what rang out to the depths of her soul,
was a frightening, unceasing toll;
when the oppression threatened to bind,
set off for the New World, but left her heart behind.


As Richard left under night's cover,
excitement coursed through him;
no longer afraid it being misconstrued
as betrayal or a foolish whim;
his note would tell of Rachel's voyage,
sailing to the new world, weeks ago;
from London's port, his heart aboard,
and why tonight, on a ship he would stow.

Like a school boy in love, makes his way
down dark roads, weaving and winding;
smiles as he remembers an awkward
young girl, looking at him and pining;
then only a few years later,
suitors lined her own door;
making believe she was a princess
and they her knights in armor.

He forced his cramped legs on,
fearing the voyage he would miss;
knowing he could never exist,
without her smile and tender kiss.
faces fill his mind in a vision,
peek over the harbor‘s misty brim;
there is a fierce battle,
that no one can win.

His mind clear for the first time in years,
in contrast to fog surrounding the pier;
disguising his tall lanky figure,
and God painting a picture much bigger.
with a final look back, he jumps on board;
breathing a prayer, to his faithful Lord.


Back in the New WOrld,
Marcus's eyes catch the sun
playing with her hair,
follows it down her shoulders,
beauty he can hardly bear;
something only read about in a book,
no longer eyes for the others,
on another he'll never look;
falling more in love with Rachel
with each shimmering moon;
by the end of their journey,
like a rose in full bloom.

Rachel steals a glance at Marcus,
uncomfortable as he continues to stare;
handsome to look at, and to love a man
other than Richard she might even dare;
though she will never see him again,
still she chides herself of late;
but with all the preparing to do,
schoolgirl foolishness has to wait.

Richard’s heart is full, sees the
coastline through the foggy gray,
he feels as if he will jump
overboard and swim the rest of way.
having no idea what to expect
if he finds her after this trip,
the thought of her married,
haunts him each night on the ship.

The beauty of the land strikes him
deeply as he was still waking,
the coastline, not yet under
winter’s full wrath is breathtaking.
he is already falling in love with
this new world and he pens a poem,
now he had two loves, his Rachel
and a place he can call home.

Richard knows God’s hand is in this
when someone recognized Rachel,
his description fools no one
which he knows all too well;
it can only be her and she
is only a few miles away.
he gets down on his knees,
and begans to  pray.

Marcus sits next to Rachel
not believing what he is hearing,
she refuses him, he cannot believe,
still loves one more endearing;
puts her hand on his, speaks of
a phantom love across the ocean,
then he begins to walk away
just as he hears the commotion.

Rachel just stares in disbelief
screaming, Richard, Richard!
seeing him walk towards her
from across a neighboring yard
Marcus’s heart breaks then,
as the lanky young man picks her up,
swings her around while she laughs
and cries, more than fills her cup;
staring into each other’s eyes,
Richard and Rachel, alone in the crowd,
run away hand in hand,
the two more humbled than proud.

Looking into her gorgeous green eyes,
Richard’s lips linger until he knew,
he cannot trust himself to the passion
locked up for so long, yet brand new;
he shares the day with her,
makes friends with Indians and Pilgrims,
except for one picking up the broken
pieces of his self-esteem, looking grim;
Richard is given his heart back,
to his proposal, yes she will say;
He begins to praise his Lord and Savior,
calling it his own Thanksgiving Day!