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Girl On a Dolphin

Favorite Carolyn Devonshire Poem

History Rising from the Sea

Treasure from the sea
Golden doubloon
Sixteenth century artifact
By ancestors hewn

Earth's history lays buried
Beneath five oceans
As undersea tremors
Create violent commotions

Freeing from Spanish galleons
Precious metals, gemstones,
To greet early beachcombers
History on loan

Memories of bygone ages
Scattered on the sand
Finally kissed by sun again
While in a searcher's hand

I pursue this morning trek
With Atlantis on my mind
Seeking proof at last
In treasures I might find

When ancient civilations
Seem to disappear
Comb the beach, you might find
The evidence is here

For from a phoenix rising
New finds appear each day
And I'll not stop searching
Till doubts I can allay

Caroline and I shared of love of water - she the ocean and I lakes and Puget Sound.  Her poems flow like tides - effortlessly - with bits of wisdom scattered like treasures of seashells or driftwood found on the beach.  This poem speaks of our mutual love of beachcombing for treasures and the pondering of history brought to mind by life's flotsam.

The poem below represents my tribute to Carolyn.

Girl on a Dolphin

Stargazing ocean pixie
Rides the playful weathered waves
To surf the ocean tides 
With laughing dolphins
Leaps to catch Delphinus
Starfarer in a star bound chrysalis
To ride this five star celestial constellation
On heaven sent lapis astral waters
Wearing moonstones like Apollo’s poetry
Where starry Aquila flies to Lyra’s music.

Salt spattered waves only gaze
At a girl – eternal sea sprite –
That sits atop a stellar dolphin
And feels the shell torn loss
Of feet that danced through tidal pools,
Delight and awe surging through her signature,
As time bound day searches midnight legends
To align in twinkling sidereal day –
A quest for remnant memories in verses
Of a star born spirit – girl riding on a dolphin.

For Carolyn

8-19-21
Contest: Celebrating Carolyn's Poetry – Not a Contest
Sponsor: Andrea Dietrich
The constellation Delphinus is made up of five stars and can be seen between the constellations of Aquila, the Eagle, and Lyra, the Lyre.  It is named for two Greek legends based on dolphins one of which tells of Apollo setting a dolphin in the sky in gratitude for saving the Greek poet Arion.  Apollo is the god of music and poetry.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2021




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Date: 9/21/2021 1:18:00 AM
Ah Sam ,her love of the sea ...in verse
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Sam Kauffman
Date: 9/21/2021 9:49:00 AM
Thank you Brian! Having grown up with the lake to the east and the Sound to the west her love of the sea just resonated with me. Her poem about beachcombing and wondering of the history of items found on the shore really resonated with me. It was an honor to honor her. Blessings to you! Thank you for all that you do here on the soup!
Date: 9/19/2021 10:01:00 AM
i love how you responded to Carolyn's poem with your own poem about a girl on a dolphin. It's very beautiful. Carolyn has BECOME that girl in the stars!!! Thanks for participating, Sam.
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Sam Kauffman
Date: 9/20/2021 9:31:00 AM
Thank you so much Andrea not only for your lovely words but for taking the time to sponsor this non-contest in tribute to Carolyn - a special friend to so many of us who feel her loss on a very deep level. This poem just seemed to write itself having been inspired by Carolyn's poem. Carolyn's pen may be silent but I believe she lives on in her inspiring words. Sending you blessings of the season.
Date: 8/19/2021 3:22:00 PM
Beautiful tribute poem to Carolyn Sam, she loved the sea for sure , I once told her next time I went to Florida I'd call to see her. Hope your week is going well. Over Fork Over. Tom
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Sam Kauffman
Date: 8/20/2021 10:00:00 AM
Greetings Tom! Thank you so much for your lovely, uplifiting, message! Both of us were "water babies!" We shared that love for sea and the Sound. She was, and still is, a treasure here on the soup and I can see her looking at us from a heavenly dolphin swimming in a heavenly sea! Have a great weekend. Over Fork Over!

Book: Reflection on the Important Things