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Fishwives

Fishwives 

In junkets to 
     the golden shore 
Beside the cobalt 
     sea of lore 
Was told of dwellings 
     and rapscallions
Of ramshackled wood 
     and galleons.
Where ancient mariners 
     and the breeze
Sailed upon 
     the unknown seas,
Where wives and fish, 
     in nets, were caught, 
And the spoils of labour 
     sold and bought, 
And 'neath the starry skies 
     would sing 
Of trawlers and 
     the nets they'd fling,
Starboard bow 
     and guillemot peck
The flapping herring 
     upon oily deck.
Where wives and fish, 
     of griddle and broth 
Spit and cuss 
     in their beery froth, 
And carving ships 
     in dry whalebone 
The men, of gods 
     and serpents, moan. 
By dark, by habit, 
     by candle lit 
Gather in separate 
     huddles, sit,
Weary lines upon 
     a salty thread
Weave and knot 
     their minds to bed.
To dream of junkets 
     to a golden shore 
Where told of dwellings 
     that are no more, 
Where supper served 
     in a driftwood dish
Would taste as sweet 
     as wives and fish.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2015




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