The Sea and I

Once I was sand dab small
urchin of the tides
shrieking with the gulls
on my blanket of sand
and head high as the waves
I was playmate to the sea
One and one were we
under the clouds of foam . . .
Sand crabs tickled my toddles
The conch sang hushabies of the surf
The horses of the sea
whinnied the tunes
of my periwinkle dreams . . . . . .

Who sells cockles for my suckle?
Who can cuddle stars to sleep?
What Sandman rock-a-byes yesternight’s cradle?

All the sun long day
I melted from green to gold
holding the hand of the sea
for only a rainbow long
and gathering handfuls of mist
I was Captain of the tides . . .
Dolphins dipped to my horn
The turrets of my castles
trembled the wind
The shrill of my whistle
shivered the still
of the serpent’s lair . . . . . .

Who can ride the ebbless tide?
Who can borrow wings from the wind?
What Sandman can cool the burn of my yearnings?

Each stolen night and day
I streaming down the shore
danced the fire dance
in the tongues
of the leaping waves
Neptune strong
Colossus high
I strode the shallow deep
Buccaneer of the boundless main
Captain Hook
of my mussel fleet . . .
The peaks of my mountains
scraped the clouds
The crash of my drumbeats
thundered the sky
The sting of the salty spray
blurred my lordly eyes

Hickory Dickory heedlessly
I waded the Gulliver shore
While sands of the hourglass trails
trickled forever by . . . . . .

Who can caress the foam?
Who can touch nevermore?
What Sandman can dry the tears of the sea?


– Harley White  

< 1968 >

Copyright © | Year Posted 2014



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Date: 9/26/2014 10:13:00 PM
1968, huh? that was a few years before I discovered my love for writing in jr. high school. But I only was writing short stories,not poetry, until 2000!! I bet you must have a lot of practice by now and if this is any judge of it, you have to be one magnificent writer now!!!! this is just wonderful!!
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Harley White
Date: 9/27/2014 7:43:00 AM
Thank you, Andrea, for the marvelous comment! I have been writing since I can remember, and that was my first serious poem. As I said below, it is supposed to have a shape to it. I have always been interested in how text is laid out on the page, as well as the content. And, BTW, I've seen some of your poems, and you are an excellent writer yourself!
Date: 9/25/2014 4:16:00 PM
powerful piece of writing very beautifully painted piece
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Harley White
Date: 9/25/2014 4:41:00 PM
Thank you so much for your lovely comment! This poem has a shape like the movement of the tides, which can be seen on a poems page of mine at http://poemsbyharleywhite.com/
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