Built in 1750,
Hidden from display
In the collection of
Astronomical and Navigational Instruments
At the Royal Museums Greenwich,
Is mounted in a wooden box.
On the paper compass card,
An image of a fleur-de-lys
Is imbedded in the north position.
The Mariner’s Compass
Is a navigational tool
Indicating direction
And degrees of a circle,
Designed to keep those at sea
On course.
I have a mariner’s compass of my own,
Though it’s not made of brass
And contains no directional needle.
It is a quilt,
Sewn by a steady, though aged, hand.
The compass design is bold against a cobalt background,
Framed by a strip of white and lavender cloth.
It hangs over my bed
And as I observe it
In those final moments before
Sleep engulfs me,
I ask about my life:
Have I taken the right bearing?
Am I on the right course?