Death of the Portent

by Lou Marin

The sky shown red,
and the sailors all knew
that soon death would follow.

Before death and destruction,
came the steel gray leviathan
cutting through the ocean.

They say an evil wind blew
over the ships of the Pacific Fleet
on that winter’s morning.

The USS Portent
was a minesweeper
tasked to clear ocean lanes.

221 feet from stem to stern,
with a displacement of 890 tons,
She dominated the seas.

The Portent was launched
from Texas in August of ’42,
with Lt. Plummer at the helm.

Portent struck a mine
off the coast of Italy
and sank on 22 January 1944.

Other ships of the Pacific Fleet
rescued survivors
as The Portent
slipped from view.

The sky shown red,
and the sailors all knew
that soon death would follow.

Steaming to her death and destruction,
came the steel gray leviathan
cutting through the ocean.

________________________

Lou Marin, a Christian grateful for Jesus’ gift to him, was born and raised in the western hills of Maine, then spent 20 plus years wandering the country and world in the United States Air Force. Maine Department of American Legion’s Historian, he is a photographer and stringer for The Maine Trust for Local News, published poet and short story writer who pens faith based devotionals. He lives in Rumford, Maine. He is author of an anthology of poems based upon his military career entitled “Dimly Seen Through The Mists,” and a book of faith based poems entitled “My Lighthouse In Troubled Times,” available through Pen It! Publications.

Lou can be reached at mbsphotog@yahoo.com or his Facebook Page. His poetry can also be read here: Dimly Seen Through the Mist: Military Poetry

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.