The Israeli Navy,
sailing to the end of the world,
stocked with grain
and books black with God’s verse,
turned back,
rather than sail on the Sabbath.
Six days, was the consensus,
was enough for anyone.
So the world, it was concluded,
was three days wide
in each direction,
allowing three days back.
And Saturdays were given over
to keeping close,
while Sundays the Navy,
all decked out in white
and many-colored skullcaps,
would sail furiously,
trying to go off the deep end.
Yo-ho-ho, would say the sailors,
for six days.
While on the shore their women moaned.
For years, their boats were slow,
and all show.
And they turned into families
on the only land they knew.
