Darren White Poet Free verse

Adrift

This boat is full
a vessel overflowing
     a shoal 
     afloat
in bitter mist 

Dream boy, dream—
     drab gloom
          sunlight on your husk;
     damp frazzles
          lightweight trunks
          around your gaunt calves;
     fields of algae
          spacious green meadows,
     gannets 
          chanting larks

You buried memories
with clawing fingers in scarred soil—
     - small hibiscus petals
     rosewater fragrance
     one rippled giggle
     tattered pink of her dress
     small scabs under band aids -
fertilized dust with saline grief

This boat is full
a vessel overflowing
darkness howls

***

August 8, 2017
Copyright © Darren White

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Patricia Cresswell August 26, 2017 at 10:05 AM I think we have come to a huge impasse between the need to help and the need to be safe Humanity has created this mess we are responsible for correcting it. All of us. It reminds of the Tower of Babel. Onl this faith is the victim here. Belief in the basic goodness of humanity.WEll thought out piece. Darren White August 26, 2017 at 10:06 AM Thank you Patricia, and I agree with you about humanity.

Gregory Richard Barden August 12, 2017 at 1:55 AM Wonderful write, my friend, and such a huge problem ... horror and hunger push folks to do unintelligent things, and how can anyone fault another for taking a roll of the dice over certain death? Thanks for bringing a little more visibility to this ... so many dying because of the "world's" lack of empathy. There but for circumstance go I ... :-( Darren White August 12, 2017 at 2:04 AM Exactly... And the people of that small place in Italy don't know what to do anymore while the world sits and watches inert. As a child of fugitives, this makes me so angy, powerless...

Hannah Borke August 9, 2017 at 12:51 AM Some poets left us adrift. Peter Duggan left, talking back all the compliments he had ever given me. Please let me in on the reason poets are leaving. Darren White August 10, 2017 at 1:09 AM Just the normal coming and going as it happens on every site I guess. Let's leave it at that. And he didn't withdraw his comments I think. When someone deletes an account, all the comments and poems disappear as well. This poem however, has nothing to do with the subject of people leaving PoetrySoup. It's about boat fugitives.....

Holly Bohto August 8, 2017 at 9:50 PM A nymph of the sea I did see in this write about being free to be about you and about me. Darren White August 8, 2017 at 11:33 PM Thanks Holly :)

Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart August 8, 2017 at 1:48 PM Your way with words is brilliant dear poet, thank you for shining so bright, you are a beacon. xomo Darren White August 8, 2017 at 11:33 PM Thanks my sweet friend

Mike Gentile August 8, 2017 at 1:48 PM A very moving portrait of human struggle, Darren. Who can explain out weary world. Darren White August 8, 2017 at 11:32 PM Thanks Mike. It is exactly that. ..

Tim Smith August 8, 2017 at 11:47 AM I love this poem...I am adrift with you Darren White August 8, 2017 at 12:42 PM Thanks my friend, come join me!

Agnes Krampe August 8, 2017 at 9:56 AM Stunning imagery, Darren. You make the pain palpable. Darren White August 8, 2017 at 12:42 PM Thank you Agnes, I guess I did :)

Charlie Smith August 8, 2017 at 9:24 AM Perfect title Darren, wonderful write... Darren White August 8, 2017 at 12:41 PM Thank you Charlie

M. L. Kiser August 8, 2017 at 6:43 AM That was a bit chilling, fear overtakes all of us, at some point. Well done. Darren White August 8, 2017 at 12:40 PM Yeah, it does... Thank you!

Lin Lane August 8, 2017 at 6:28 AM You've friends to help bail out that boat of overflowing memories. Have no fear of sinking, Darren. Darren White August 8, 2017 at 12:28 PM Thanks Lin, that is needed sometimes :)