Jack Webster Poet Ghazal

The Ripple

Reading in bed, she has a drink, and the ripple widens.
A drop falls in the kitchen sink, and the ripple widens.

Supported, a little girl in the pool floats in his arms,
blowing bubbles as her fears shrink, and the ripple widens.

Adults survive the rain, clutching dark umbrellas, as tiny
shoes trounce puddles in pink, and the ripple widens.

His son begs him to release the bleeding gills to the pond.
He unhooks the chain stringer link, and the ripple widens.

Her mother taught her how to skim a flat stone on water,
as soft nets of light interlink, and the ripple widens.

A whale bursts through the glass, her stature massive. She hangs, then/
smashes the ceiling of the sea as she sinks, and the ripple widens./

While readers roam the world looking for a poem to read,
the author dips his pen in the ink, and the ripple widens.

8/29/2017

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Daniel Henry Rodgers October 27, 2023 at 9:08 AM Jack, your poem "THE RIPPLE" is a beautiful and thought-provoking meditation on the interconnectedness of all things. The ripple effect of our actions is felt far and wide, and your poem does a beautiful job of capturing this. I especially love the line "While readers roam the world looking for a poem to read, / the author dips his pen in the ink, and the ripple widens." It's a perfect reminder that even the smallest of acts can have a profound impact on the world around us. Blessings, Daniel

Heidi Sands September 15, 2017 at 10:09 AM Congratulations Jack ! :) Jack Webster September 15, 2017 at 10:51 AM thank you, Heidi! you too :)

Jan Allison September 15, 2017 at 1:50 AM congratulations jack:-) hugs jan xx Jack Webster September 15, 2017 at 8:17 AM thank you, Jan :)

Gregory Richard Barden September 14, 2017 at 9:39 PM Very intelligent and substantive write, Jack, and I love the perspective you write from here ... refreshingly genuine and creative - love it! Congrats on your win! :-) Jack Webster September 14, 2017 at 11:57 PM yay! thank you, Greg. I wanted to use the refrain in the gazal to create a feeling of expanding like a ripple does. Thought i could make the ripple a metaphor for something larger than life. Not exactly relaxing by a lake. I guess it was a risk. Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

Susan Ashley August 29, 2017 at 8:53 PM Hi Jack, a very thoughtful and thought provoking poem. Your imagery is beautifully expressed. A joy to read this evening. Well done :) Jack Webster August 31, 2017 at 12:08 PM I see what you mean. Thanks for your feedback :) Susan Ashley August 30, 2017 at 6:35 PM Hi Jack, I'm not really familiar with this poetic form so I don't really know what the best call would be but I think your poem is great the way it is. Maybe moving the second stanza would cluster together too many similar ideas but again I'm not really sure. Wish I could be more definitive :) Jack Webster August 29, 2017 at 9:23 PM Thank you, Susan. Im glad you enjoyed it :) Do you think stanza 2 would be more appropriate between stanzas 4 and 5? I know ghazal stanzas are technically not related, but i think there maybe is something more special if stanza 2 goes after 4. Any thoughts?