Just spare a thought for those of us
Who sail by night to Pireaus.
Can one sleep well upon the ferry?
From my experience – not very!
At least if you’re among the many
Who have to watch each cent or penny.
Which means no cabin just for you
By paying for the space of two.
And if you share, you can be sure
All night you’ll hear your room-mate snore.
The less expensive ATS
Or “air type seat”? Here I would stress
The strain on back and neck, which burn
Like flying ‘Tokyo and return’.
So pick a patch of carpet that
Gives you the space to stretch out flat
(The softer benches were all scored
By people earlier on board).
With bunched up clothes to rest your head
You can make something of a bed.
To sleep you need to block the light
That shines throughout the long, long night
Until at five (by shipboard clocks)
Loudspeakers cry “our ferry docks!”
The compensation, for the purist,
Is being a traveller, not a tourist.
