The captain stood solemnly
recieving what he saw
with stark indifference

the dark clouds towered above his tiny ship

he drank deep in the danger
taking a lungful of air
he finally let himself see his crew

they were frightened

this invigorated him
but he did not want it to
he had always taken pleasure
in being "The Captain"

hoping when hope was lost to other men
lesser men

but he knew deep down
there was nothing lesser about
these particular men
he also knew they would all die
presently

he parted his lips to begin his final oration