Swing Lo Magellan

Last night all my attention

Squinting westward at the sunset

With a map and a compass

When a man reached up, said something

There, against the sky, a ball of light

Too invisible to give itself to the naked eye

On the shore, people yelling

In their eyes a great reflection

In the griddle where they're positioned

Unconcerned with intuition

There could never be not a sympathy

From that wilderness

So let it be arrested

Swing low, oh Magellan

9 by 6 or 8 by 7

Post a sentinel at the border

Of what you attempt, what you ignore

I saw my friend in a pool of light

All drowned in doubt and shame

And I knew that I had lost my sight