Can you imagine what it’s like, being me?
White-washed and elegant,
the tallest building on the island,
built on its most elevated spot,
so physically, I look down upon the whole terrain.
But also, because of my function,
when I look around at the ruined gun batteries that litter the place,
it’s sometimes tempting to claim the high moral ground.

The guns were brought here with the intention of causing shipwreck
or to down enemy planes,
to cause death by drowning;

The guns fired missiles across the water,
whereas I send beams of life-protecting light,
encouraging seafarers to value the preciousness of their lives.
The guns served the god of death,
I serve the god of life.

But no, I’m unable to stand in judgement,
because I serve all seafarers alike;
as well as fishing boats, my beams also warn gunboats.
Indeed, slavers have benefited from my light.
I have served death as much as life;
my high moral ground soon tumbles into the sea.

So I fall silent, and return to the simple neutrality of what I do.
Night after night, I flash beams of light across the estuary;
which signal the same elementary message to all:
there are perils, please take heed.