Frederic Parker Poet Free verse

The Mariner

The Mariner's old salted-air skin,  leather tight,
on a mast-hard frame of bones
and flash flood rushing blood,
faces ice-fed winds bouncing his ship
and helm cockeyed on continuous curling waves
from Nature's rough hewn seas,
beneath skunk-colored skies

Standing redwood tall,
in a locked jawed face of stormy, screaming weather
with honey badger determination,
to fight for the aging breath and life of his vessel,
of foot worn,handmade English Oak,
in a lion and hyena fight with the storm
Hoping the molten core of flaming,fiery light from the sun,
bursts through volcanic ashen clouds,
leaving his still sided barnacle plugged wormwood planks attached,
until he reaches shore

4/25/17 contest Word Play Images, Dense and Pithy

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Laura Leiser May 25, 2017 at 2:11 PM Wow, this is so exceptional, Frederic! The description, the alliteration, the imagery...stunningly good! Congrats on your well deserved top win!! 7+++ and a fave :)

John Beam May 24, 2017 at 9:36 PM Congrats on win, Frederic.

Doug Vinson May 8, 2017 at 8:24 AM Success! Well-done, Frederic. One of the great human endeavors. : )

Cyndi Macmillan May 7, 2017 at 4:26 PM Yes! You nailed all of it: word play, images, dense (very dense!) and pithy. I especially like the echo-beat of foot/worn, hand/made, Eng/lish... like footsteps somehow, not meter, but meat-ier. Now, this is for a contest that is asking for "dense" but I sense you already know that this is like one of those mega-steaks you get a trophy to eat. Each image here is strong, GOOD, I see MANY 6oz fillet mignons. You've got 72 ouncer in one sitting ;) The only other advice I have is: hyphens! Cyndi Macmillan May 7, 2017 at 4:46 PM PS- So glad you invited me to this read to see what I thought. It's a ride! So.. hyphens... salted-air, mast-hard, ice-fed, skunk-colored. I'm not sure who's sponsoring this contest, but (from past experience) I know some can be sticklers for grammar/syntax. and this may help en.oxforddictionaries.com/punctuation/hyphen HUGS!

Elaine George May 1, 2017 at 12:04 PM My grandfather was a master mariner...one of the last iron men of the wooden ships. I am currently writing a novel based on his and my grandmother's life entitled 'The Mariner's Wife'. Slow going...much research involved. You really captured the essence of a Mariner's soul with this free verse. my friend. Elaine

Nette Onclaud April 28, 2017 at 2:22 PM such a visual delight with an array of descriptive artwords, frederick.. enjoyed your mariner piece..huggs

Ralph Sergi April 27, 2017 at 4:25 PM Hi Frederick: I love the animal imagery you approached in your poem. It made sound more sea faring!

Connie Marcum Wong April 26, 2017 at 12:12 AM I love the the fierce animal imagery you used to convey the struggles in this exciting poem Frederic. I felt like I was a witness to it all. Excellent! 7 ; )

Agnes Krampe April 25, 2017 at 5:03 PM Great description, Frederic. Good luck in the contest.

Chris Green April 25, 2017 at 2:10 PM Really cool Frederic and now I'm glad I didn't enter the contest. I wouldn't stand a chance against this fantastic piece of writing. Dark and damp and very well done