Notes About The Poem

The Rowboat On the Marsh

I don't need mawkish photographs to see
the drowning rowboat tethered to the dock,
a withered seahorse clinging to debris
as umber water seeps through feeble caulk.

The cord grass will have grown up through the planks
to marry splinters teeming on the pier,
putrescent pillars tilted by the banks;
a pallid corpse beside the marsh's bier.

Those summers when we sailed through brackish mist
have long since gone the way of floating sculls
that languish in the asters to be kissed
by empty oarlocks perched atop their hulls.

Your August ghost still flounders on the fen
then sinks beneath in nightmares now as then.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2019

Poem

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La France Avatar
January 13, 2021 at 8:27 AM
Dale, I love your Sonnet poem and the image is very nice. Congratulations on having it included in PS : It's Poetry 2020 Anthology _Constance
Rodrigues Avatar
December 31, 2020 at 8:00 PM
Lovely words and imagery, Dale! Congratulations on being one of the first entries in the anthology!
Cozart Avatar
January 1, 2021 at 7:06 AM
Thanks very much, Kim.
Gutmacher Avatar
May 31, 2020 at 4:38 PM
very much enjoyed this poem, and the addition of the photo really pulled it together for me.
Cozart Avatar
May 31, 2020 at 5:27 PM
Thank you, Jon.
Roper Avatar
January 2, 2020 at 11:03 PM
Congratulations on your win in John Hamilton, Best Sonnet Contest. Hugs Eve
Scars Avatar
January 1, 2020 at 1:53 PM
you never cease to amaze me......congrats x:-)-luloo
Cozart Avatar
January 1, 2020 at 7:15 PM
Thanks very much, Luloo.
Hamilton Avatar
January 1, 2020 at 1:11 PM
This is stunning writing Dale, congrats on shared best sonnet 2019!
Cozart Avatar
January 1, 2020 at 7:14 PM
Thank you, John.
Adams Avatar
July 10, 2019 at 6:34 PM
What an outstanding sonnet you have penned Congrats on your win :) hugs
Ravidas Avatar
July 10, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Gold to gold, dust to dust) Congrats, Dale.
Rodrigues Avatar
July 10, 2019 at 4:52 PM
So wonderful, Dale! Congratulations on first place! A fave for me!
Cozart Avatar
July 10, 2019 at 4:59 PM
Thanks so much, Kim.
Hamilton Avatar
July 10, 2019 at 4:29 PM
You were smart to enter this beauty, congrats Dale on an amazing poem and win!
Cozart Avatar
July 10, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Thank you very much, John!
Ravidas Avatar
June 23, 2019 at 7:33 AM
Congrats, Dale. Of course you are) It was nice to read this sepia sonnet again.
Cozart Avatar
June 23, 2019 at 8:34 AM
Thanks again, Kurt.
Dietrich Avatar
June 22, 2019 at 8:17 PM
this is EXCELLENT> Gosh, I hope it got first place or something because it's marvelous on so many levels!
Cozart Avatar
June 23, 2019 at 8:34 AM
Thanks very much, Andrea.
May Avatar
June 21, 2019 at 7:18 AM
Great write...Congrats on your win..
Cozart Avatar
June 21, 2019 at 8:25 AM
Thanks, Joseph.
Marcum Wong Avatar
June 8, 2019 at 10:59 PM
This magnificent poem deserves to be a TOP winner Dale. Your poetry takes my breath away as I read and gasp from the beauty of it all. A Fave from me my friend. You never disappoint! xxoo : )
Cozart Avatar
June 9, 2019 at 8:40 AM
Thank you so much, Connie. It's always a pleasure to hear from you.
De Beaulieu Avatar
June 8, 2019 at 5:45 PM
Hello Dale Gregory Cozart, this row boat has a history of the past. have a nice evening my friend.
Cozart Avatar
June 8, 2019 at 8:04 PM
Thank you, Darlene.
Hamilton Avatar
June 6, 2019 at 11:06 AM
I was drawn by the title and all I can say is WOW! I am stunned by your writing Dale, your lexicon and phraseology is by FAR the best I've read lately. I concur with SOS wholeheartedly, I also have to fave so I can re-read over and over to try and learn how to master a sonnet as obviously you do!
Cozart Avatar
June 6, 2019 at 11:09 AM
Gosh, John, thanks so very much!
Devonshire Avatar
June 2, 2019 at 5:58 PM
A superb sonnet, Dale! Excellent imagery and use of vocabulary describe this image so well. I chose #3 as well as there seems to be something special about the golden hues. Best wishes in Sara's contest, Carolyn
Cozart Avatar
June 2, 2019 at 8:08 PM
Thanks so much, Carolyn. Best of luck to you as well.
Kiser Avatar
May 14, 2019 at 7:41 AM
Beautiful pen; reads very smoothly; enjoyed.
Cozart Avatar
May 14, 2019 at 3:02 PM
Thanks, ML.
Sharp Avatar
May 11, 2019 at 5:22 AM
Great imagery and very poetic descriptives; excellent work.
Cozart Avatar
May 11, 2019 at 8:33 AM
Thanks for reading, Lawrence.
Ravidas Avatar
May 11, 2019 at 5:18 AM
If I hadn't seen the photo, I'd still think this sonet is sepia-colored. Excellent poetry.
Cozart Avatar
May 11, 2019 at 8:33 AM
Thanks very much, Kurt.
Pandit Avatar
May 10, 2019 at 3:18 PM
WOW! This is so well written..brilliantly executed.
Cozart Avatar
May 10, 2019 at 3:54 PM
Thank you so very much, Vijay.
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