Silent darkness arrives along the lake’s shore

Bringing beauty, but there is danger and more

 

Nightfall’s murkiness shrouding any potential peril

Hiding exposed reefs and shoals that may imperil

 

Loaded vessels silently lumber toward their destinations

Navigating through the gloom to reach their final stations

 

Danger lurking along a concealed shoreline in the empty dark

Demanding the skipper to plot a course so steady on its mark

 

A lighthouse stands alone by the shore’s breakwater

Warning of unexpected hazards so ships don’t falter

 

For years, Lake Erie’s travel routes have been patrolled

Providing warning lights and fog sirens, bright and bold

 

Numerous nighttime sentries light up along Ohio’s coast

Protecting ships and crew at locations that harbor a post

 

Ashtabula, Sandusky, Conneaut, Marblehead, and Lorain

Marking safe passage for crossing Erie’s shipping lanes

 

A misty fog blanketing the rocky shore this lonely night

Synchronizing light with sound, a lone sentinel’s might

 

Today’s ships cruise with improved navigational systems

Sparking too many lighthouses to decline and fall victim

 

Some guardians along Erie’s shore are preserved

Reminding visitors of a rich, past history to serve

 

Unique and fascinating designs still live to shine

Preventing accidents and calamities for all time