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Neopocha


"Neophoca"

I was dragged 
out of my ocean 
of dreams 

when they peeled
my skin, I was broken,
an endangered species

feeding bits of me 
to the carniverous 
genus species 

the genus 
and gender
predatory 

covetting my 
freedom they 
lost themselves

in the comforting
arms of my trust
they wore me out

made sleeves
of me, stole 
my baby

expensive collateral;
their ownership belittled, 
bruised and scorched 

victory marks
like tattoos 
marched on me

they branded me,

attached 
to my life
untruthful labels, 

their ignorance 
basking 
became them, 

the sins 
of the fetid 
patriarchy

such violence, this
devoted dv, the human 
seed planted

my baby, 
zoo trained 
and chained 

I became uprooted
stalked, staked and 
claimed 

I became owned
I drowned in my 
mortal dreams 

such violence, this
devoted dv, the
imprisoned truth

life blood escaping 
the juxtaposed 
real me

Selkie 

the humble humboldt
priests call me 
Neophoca cinerea 

they call me 
reverently,
they sing me home, 

home 
to my only 
holy See

they call me
reverently 

Selkie

(LadyLabyrinth / 2023)

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Robert Lindley

Date: 7/12/2023 3:42:00 PM

Congrats on POTD! What a great poem. Verses that sing to the heart, my friend. A fav too... GOD BLESS...

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/12/2023 4:14:00 PM

Thank you.

Malabika Ray Choudhury

Date: 7/11/2023 3:15:00 PM

A powerful and poignant write, Dear Poet - I am in awe! Congratulations on POTD - the images leave lasting impressions on heart and soul.

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 8:16:00 PM

Thank you.

Rev. Catherine Cassell

Date: 7/11/2023 1:45:00 PM

Congratulations on POTD My heart mourned as I read through it. Fantastic imagery.

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 2:11:00 PM

Thank you. We are all in this together, whether we admit it or not, on all fronts. Empathy, not just love, would curtail and possibly stop the violence and abuse.

Paula Goldsmith

Date: 7/11/2023 11:06:00 AM

Congratulations on your POTD win. WOW!! What a powerful write. It is what you do best. Love It. Have a great/blessed day writing away.......................

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 2:19:00 PM

Purpose. Perhaps motherhood and writing? below link.

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 2:18:00 PM

https://youtu.be/n89bqtEXCsw

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 1:57:00 PM

Thank you Paula. Next to my daughter, writing is my next great love and passion. I will most probably continue to write (in all forms) until the day I die, or until I lose my faculties - which at this rate, is bound to occur. One cannot help but to contemplate to what purpose all this writing, if not to empathise with the plight of lives of other beings, including not just humanity, but creatures of land, air and sea. I could not avoid aligning the plight of endangered species, in particular, with this poem, that of the beautiful and mischievous Neopocha Cinerea (Australian Fur Seal) with that of dv abuse and parental alienation (on all levels, as well as familial alieantion), but with this poem, focusing on dv abuse, maternal alienation and child abuse (with the child being the major victim), seals and Selkies have babies too.

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 1:57:00 PM

The Humboldt squid, is a giant carnivore, but in this poem a mentor to the seal, not a predator and the squid in vision gif reminds me of a high priest. The Sea is their only and most holy place, their God is the Ocean. And there, they are free and not bound by the confined beliefs of the human.

Sam Kauffman

Date: 7/11/2023 9:45:00 AM

Lady L, congratulations on your POTD with this power re-telling of the Selkie legend with present day implications. Every stanza is filled with dynamic imagery and leaves its signature on the heart and soul. Wonderfully written. Blessings to you Lady L!

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 2:02:00 PM

Thank you Sam. I think one of my more poignant stories. I appreciate your feedback.

I Am Anaya

Date: 7/11/2023 9:07:00 AM

Sea Lions, these poor innocents, it's ungodly what is done. Mythical Seals make lovely stories as they become human on land. Congratulations LL on a POTD that brings to light the inhumane atrocities!

I Am Anaya
Date: 7/13/2023 9:44:00 AM

230kg wow, he plays with the snorkler. Amusing & amazing. "My Octopus Teacher" a 2020 Netflix documentary film directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, which documents a year spent by filmmaker Craig Foster forging a relationship with a wild common octopus in a South African kelp forest. At the 93rd Academy Awards, it won the award for Best Documentary Feature. Please watch it!

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 11:36:00 PM

correct re your comments below. I agree. On a lighter note, how beautiful is this? https://youtu.be/KCoeoSgWGMo

I Am Anaya
Date: 7/11/2023 4:14:00 PM

Though the killing of harp seals takes place in Norway, Iceland, and Greenland, the vast majority of seals killed each year are in Canada. I saw a documentary of how Greenpeace began and included the gruesome events of the slaughtering of seals. We need to thank those folks for their hard work boycotting and decreasing the killings!

Lady Labyrinth
Date: 7/11/2023 2:04:00 PM

We (Australia) have stringent laws in place. Not so, other geographical locations around the world. The slaughter of whales and dolphins comes to mind as well. There are many creatures endangered. When one considers the violence fur seals experience, most notably the slaughter of their babies for much valued pelt - it is sickening. The mother killed in front of the babies or vice a versa - can you imagine, the trauma? Such beauty destroyed in the most inhumane way and their families annihilated; humanity should be ashamed of itself on many levels.