bleak

[Borissouza]

There are tumults in the ocean,
but the ship must sail,
it cannot sink.

I must reach the port,
I cannot sleep,
not a wink.

when times are hard
and light is bleak,
sea is the paper,
and tears are ink.

Hello Typing Mantis, 

I really enjoy this work, you've established a general feeling of hopelessness (with the specific context of being lost at sea). I'm not sure that light being described as bleak reads well (while we all know what it means it just isn't an adjective typically used to describe light itself) though to be honest I still enjoy this line and wouldn't know where else to take it. One possible route you could take this would be to add in a reference somewhere to other dark 'sea-faring' works? If you are familiar with Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner this piece definitely calls to mind that same sort of feel. You could mention an albatross or some related symbol of the sea? Ultimately I really enjoy this piece and think it is very close!