Notes About The Poem

(No AI, ChatGPT, machine learning (ML), etc., was used in the composition of this poem.)

Premiere Contest WinnerLooking To Sea

I walk along the ocean shore
Seeking refuge from all my strife.
The wave-soaked sand serves as my floor.
Stars guide my reflections on life.

I cast my gaze to ocean’s roar
In search of helpful solutions; 
Like countless other souls before,
Wanting more than trite locutions.

Just then a vessel passes by,
Its lights merely a few dim specks;  
Its dip below horizon nigh,
Concealing those who ply its decks.

The steady din of waves breaking
Washes my consciousness to sleep;
‘Til seagull’s squawk gets me waking,
And pondering the ocean’s deep.
	
Now back to my thirst for answers,
For enlightenment from the seas;
Distant waves break – tiny dancers, 
Possibilities in its breeze.
 
Maybe that’s the sum of it all -
The shore’s a retreat from our fuss; 
A harbor from life’s random squall,
But the steering is up to us.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2017

Poem

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12
Marc Avatar
May 30, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Profoundly beautiful ~
Williams Avatar
May 30, 2026 at 7:34 AM
Thank you, P.M. Richter, for your very encouraging comment. I am truly grateful. Blessings & very best to you and yours! Bartholomew
Dietrich Avatar
May 29, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Way to go in the contest. You chose a very good poem from your collection!
Williams Avatar
May 30, 2026 at 7:32 AM
Thanks, Andrea! I appreciate your kind words. I realize you already knew this poem, but I figured why not bring it up for some newer Soupers? Thank you for your visit, and have a blessed weekend (the end of May already)!! :) BW
poemtheart Avatar
December 31, 2019 at 4:59 AM
wow..! very well wrote, word choice and you cleverly used them.. :)
Williams Avatar
March 17, 2020 at 5:47 PM
Thank you very much, Muddasar. I appreciate your kind and supportive words. Thank you also for taking the time to read my poem and to comment. Best, Bartholomew :)
Dietrich Avatar
November 10, 2019 at 6:48 PM
bart, did you have many other poems that you took down because of your book. Your book is so packed with great poems. Wish I saw more new poems of yours up!! Will try to do that blog soon.
Williams Avatar
November 10, 2019 at 10:45 PM
Andrea, thank you so much for your kind and gracious words!! I truly appreciate them. I am so glad you are enjoying my book! Please see Soupmail for the rest of the story. Thanks, again. Blessings and my very best wishes to you and yours. :) Bartholomew
Spilchuk Avatar
March 28, 2019 at 9:52 PM
Enjoyed reading your poem.
Williams Avatar
March 29, 2019 at 2:06 PM
Thank you very much, Dennis. I appreciate you taking the time to drop by, read my poem, and comment. I am grateful you enjoyed my poem, too. All my best to you! :) Bartholomew
Keen Avatar
March 4, 2019 at 6:58 PM
Oops! "Looking to Sea"--Revise! Revise!
Williams Avatar
March 4, 2019 at 8:27 PM
No problem at all, Bill. I figured it was simply a typo. Thanks again for dropping by and providing your helpful input. Blessings, :) Bartholomew
Keen Avatar
March 4, 2019 at 6:56 PM
I, too, love smooth sounding metrical verse. The vivid imagery of Looking to see kept my eye moving in tune with my ear, and brought me to the pure satisfaction of the poem's final stanza.
Williams Avatar
March 4, 2019 at 8:25 PM
Thank you very much, Bill, for your discerning and gracious comments! I am truly grateful you stopped by, enjoyed my poem, and provided positive comments. All my very best to you! :) Bartholomew
Staton Avatar
February 28, 2019 at 11:01 PM
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this poem. Excellent flow, great imagery. A definite FAVE!
Williams Avatar
March 1, 2019 at 9:28 PM
Hi, Valerie. Thank you so very much for reading and enjoying my poem, and for your kind and meaningful comments! I will have to read some of your poetry soon. You have my very best wishes. :) Bartholomew
Wright Avatar
February 20, 2019 at 5:58 PM
Good job Bartholomew I liked this very much. god Bless Tom
Williams Avatar
February 20, 2019 at 6:58 PM
Thank you very much, Tom. I am grateful for your encouraging words. Blessings right back to you! :) Bartholomew
Gauthier Avatar
February 11, 2019 at 10:10 PM
Back with well more well deserved congrats, Bartholomew.
Williams Avatar
February 12, 2019 at 2:25 PM
Thank you very much, Line, for your truly uplifting comment! All my very best to you and yours. :) Bartholomew
Canerdy Avatar
January 26, 2019 at 5:37 PM
CONGRATULATIONS on your well-deserved win, Bartholomew! Janice
Williams Avatar
January 26, 2019 at 8:34 PM
Thank you very much, Janice! I appreciate your kind, congratulatory message. I greatly enjoyed your poem, "When Nature Speaks" (please see my comments there). Hugs, :) Bartholomew
Toney Avatar
January 26, 2019 at 12:24 PM
Bartholomew, congrats on your win on mile 12 of my 2019 Poetry Marathon contest! I see you already have a well-deserved Premiere Contest Trophy! I love the lesson from your final stanza: "But the steering is up to us." Brilliant! Thank you so much for your support of my contests. By continuing to place in the contests you are accumulating points toward the final. ~Mark
Williams Avatar
January 26, 2019 at 1:01 PM
Mark, thank you so much for your kind words and placement of my poem! You got it - the last line is the punch line. I am a multiple marathoner in real life, and you are right that they are brutal. Thank you for your endurance in judging, too, as we are almost halfway there. I will keep entering and honor the #1 rule for marathoners - finish! All my very best! :) Bartholomew
Dietrich Avatar
June 8, 2018 at 8:27 PM
Finally seeing your reply to my comment on this poem a while back! I hope I can find one of yours to read. I clicked on several and had already commented to them.
Williams Avatar
June 11, 2018 at 9:24 AM
Hi, Andrea! I hope your week is going very well. Thank you very much for stopping by again and commenting on this one. I truly appreciate your consistently kind and uplifting words! I really do. I will be posting some new poems soon, and I promise to let you know as soon as I do. I wish only the very best to you and yours always, my good friend! Thanks for all you do for Soup!! :) Bartholomew
Roper Avatar
June 8, 2018 at 4:34 PM
I stop by to just say thank you, Bartholomew, for your kind inspirational compliment.. Hugs Eve
Williams Avatar
June 11, 2018 at 9:20 AM
No problem at all, Eve. Your inspiring poem easily elicited my compliment! Thank you very much for your supportive, encouraging words, my friend. Hugs right back to you! :) Bartholomew
George   Avatar
April 26, 2018 at 8:13 AM
The ocean shore is where I go to find serenity. I have written many poems about the sea and shore. Many congrats on your so well deserved first place win with this masterpiece. Sincerely Elaine
Williams Avatar
April 26, 2018 at 4:18 PM
Elaine, thank you so much for your exceedingly kind words!! I really appreciate them. It seems that several of us have discovered the secret of the shore and utilize it as a place of serenity (as you mention), comfort, and refuge. You now have stirred my curiosity, so I will read some of your poems soon. Thanks again for your uplifting comments! All my best to you. :) Bartholomew
Dietrich Avatar
April 19, 2018 at 7:09 PM
ahh, you too love the shore!! I just had to come see your TROPHY win and it was well worth seeing. Belated congrats on that prize.
Williams Avatar
April 19, 2018 at 10:08 PM
Thank you very much, Andrea! Yes, I do love the shore, whether it's the ocean, a river, or even just a small lake. Something about bodies of water elicit reflections on life from me. Thank you for stopping by and your very nice comments. I sincerely appreciate both. All my very best to you and yours! :) Bartholomew
Ashley Avatar
March 2, 2018 at 6:21 PM
A breathtaking write Bartholomew, with each poetic line steeped in meaningful and beautiful imagery. A big belated congratulations on your richly deserved trophy win!
Williams Avatar
March 2, 2018 at 8:19 PM
Thank you very much, Susan! I truly appreciate your kind words of support. It does feel good to now have one of these "trophies" (takes a bit of pressure off me, I guess). Thanks so much for stopping by. It is wonderful to hear from you!! Blessings to you! :) Bartholomew
Dietrich Avatar
February 13, 2018 at 6:04 PM
wow, I came to your trophy win and was not disappointed. YOu did very well with this one, Bartholomew. a Big belated Congrats!
Williams Avatar
February 14, 2018 at 9:45 AM
Thank you very much, Andrea. It is always such a pleasure to read your comments. :) I really appreciate your kind words of encouragement. It does feel good to get one of these "trophies" under my belt. Now back to writing poetry! Many, many blessings to you and yours, Andrea. :) Bartholomew
Shaw Avatar
February 4, 2018 at 2:31 PM
Hello Bartholomew, A Wonderful atmospheric poem with deep meanings and very descriptive. I really enjoyed your excellent piece and well done on the Trophy win, kind regards, Kevin
Williams Avatar
February 6, 2018 at 10:49 AM
Thank you very much, Kevin, for your very meaningful and much appreciated comment! It means a lot to me. I am happy you enjoyed my poem. When I get a chance, I will read some of yours. You have my very best wishes as you continue your poet's journey! :) Bartholomew
Daniel Avatar
February 2, 2018 at 7:42 AM
A really deep poem with great metaphor used, Bartholomew:) congratulations on your trophy win, well done:)
Williams Avatar
February 2, 2018 at 7:59 PM
Thank you very much for your kind words of encouragement and support, Jo! I sincerely appreciate it and am glad you enjoyed my poem. Thanks for stopping by. I wish you only the best. :) Bartholomew
Brewer Avatar
February 1, 2018 at 1:57 PM
Bartholomew, this is a pleasing atmospheric poem combining striking imagery with intriguing thoughts.
Williams Avatar
February 1, 2018 at 5:56 PM
Thank you very much for your considerate and reflective comment, Geoffrey. I am truly grateful. You have my very best wishes. :) Bartholomew
Lamoureux Avatar
February 1, 2018 at 9:10 AM
Congrats on your top placement. An excellent piece!
Williams Avatar
February 1, 2018 at 9:35 AM
Thank you very much, Richard, for your kind and encouraging words. I sincerely appreciate them. Thank you also for reading my poem and leaving a positive comment. Best wishes to you and yours, Richard! :) Bartholomew
Barden Avatar
January 29, 2018 at 7:57 PM
Wonderful write, Bartholomew, and a well-deserved win ... so many elements here that I enjoy, but especially the imagery! Well-done, my friend! :-)
Williams Avatar
January 29, 2018 at 11:09 PM
Greg, as always, thank you so much for your consistently positive, uplifting words of encouragement! I appreciate you. You wrote a nautical beauty with "Captiva Morns" (please see my comments there), and I am thrilled to see it made the winner's circle!! Sailor's delight, indeed! Blessings and all my very best to you, my friend! :) Bartholomew
Haight Avatar
January 29, 2018 at 7:42 PM
Beautiful thoughts in your well-written poem, Batholomew. Congratulations on your First Place Trophy win! Sandra
Williams Avatar
January 29, 2018 at 10:26 PM
Thank you very much, Sandra. Right back at you with your strong placement with "Snow Falling"! I really enjoyed your piece (please see my comments there). Thank you for sharing the podium with me. All good things to you! :) Bartholomew
Grasso Avatar
January 29, 2018 at 6:45 PM
Congratulations on your trophy win, Bartholomew! ...Fran
Williams Avatar
January 29, 2018 at 11:08 PM
Thank you very much, Fran! I greatly appreciate your words. I've been on PS for a year, and I am truly humbled to get my first "trophy." I enjoyed your piece, "Morning Light" (please see my comments there), and I'm not at all surprised by your strong showing. Nice job!! Blessings, my friend! :) Bartholomew
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