Its lifeline floats aimlessly beside,

as if mourning the loss of a soul at sea.
A knot, improperly tied to a life raft releases.
The mariner and his only means of survival
are sent adrift to fight the desolate
and turbulent sea–the sea wins!

The poet, Raymond Sylvester, stresses the importance of living life as securely as the knot one has tied. Life cannot be almost lived; a knot cannot be almost tied. His poetry will provide the guidance needed to ensure one’s lifeline is as strong and secure as possible. Words cast upon a page are as powerful as the third splice. When splicing a line, the fourth splice adds no more strength to the line than the third, although it adds protective value should the last splice fail.

Raymond Sylvester lives in Branford, Connecticut, with his loving wife Terri and their cat Boots. His poem War won the gold medal in the patriotic division of the 2018 National Creative Arts Competition and his poem The Darkness of War won silver in the 2019 competition. His poems are personal yet universal.