back foot
unintending to strand him with a head wind 
he leapt into slightly frantic mode
as his now swirling, bobbing, spraying explanations and declarations
revealed glimpses of the white caps of justification 
which could no longer be restrained

my declaration of innocence and assurances 
only serving to augment 
the overpowering flapping of his sails
which now dominated his mind 
and subjected him to inevitable moments of horror
as he set about trying to re-establish the wind at his back 
by pulling back until
the sailing was again smooth quiet and relaxed 
and he could repudiate or deny any such recent onset
as a tale of the sea
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