by Benjamin White.
The national news will report
On US-China relations
And both nations are tainted
Painted by politics and policies,
But on the high seas
Ships sail to places distant,
And freedom
Is consistent with the waves,
The sea gulls, and the hulls
Of boats making way,
And even when the Coast Guard flag
Is on display and crews
Are enforcing the fisheries regulations
There are still the sensations of liberty
And independence,
So, when the boarding team got caught
By bad weather and had to stay
Onboard the Chinese fish processor
Over night
There was no debate, hesitation,
Fight, or impending doom –
The Chinese simply made room
And were gracious hosts,
And the next day
The American Coast Guard Captain
Sent over a case of M&Ms
Thanking them
For their hospitality –
Sailors go to sea
And understand
A special brand
Of diplomacy.