Every lighthouse needs an ocean
Swirling deeply around
Without a storm there could be
No need for a calm
No need for a beacon
To anchor the darkest nights

And when the raging seems too much
When the waves threaten the very light
When all hope is lost and
The anchor seems about to become
Just another ship foundering
On the rocks

One more clamber up those rocks
To light the torch
One more tortured flight of stairs
To keep the path home seen
Can feel like it is beyond me
Can seem like the final wave

I find dry matches, I find fresh oil
And steady my legs
To help me find my way

Postscript: And at low tide,
the bridge to the mainland always remains.

12/6/17 2:40 AM
This is the last draft before I started turning it into a song