The Yin and Yang of Doubtful Bay

A subtle march hush saddles the valley
whilst dawn’s reveille is the seagulls call
staid water’s brim against ancient galley
once flew the ensign how the mighty fall.
For here she lie ‘o’ top of salty graves
where wretched souls ne’er see another day
their silver horizon the restless waves
that howls the sirens song of doubtful bay.
Long gone the storm the cries of emotion
of those whom hankered for a better life
yet still the tempest doth rule the ocean
to take at will the rights of man and wife.
Gone the prisoners of her majesty
damned to the colonies over the sea
the bay holds no bars grants them amnesty
their spirits to roam the ocean floor free.
There’s no one left to wail or shed a tear
to pen a shanty of that tragic hour
nor weave a poem of hysterical fear
build a monolith a marble tower.

21/06/2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 4 Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Mark Toney

Copyright © | Year Posted 2017



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Date: 9/24/2017 5:29:00 AM
This is brilliant, Harry: A master storyteller. It unfolds effortlessly touching the senses and emotions. Of course I am adding it to my favs. It is all the unspoken that give places their atmosphere.....the endless turmoils that come from living..... I think I feel a poem coming on lol
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Date: 8/7/2017 8:19:00 AM
Very cool harry an historical narrative on a delicate subject. Well done.
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Date: 7/31/2017 12:06:00 AM
Excellent and well penned. All the best for the contest. Thanks for sharing it.
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Date: 7/29/2017 6:54:00 AM
A subtle poem I have taken with...wonderful quatrain of 3 ways of interpretation I spontaneous find: 1) kind of glass menagerie, 2) case of Prince Charming and the selected one girl of his heart after the poetry seems exhausted and prose is unexpected coming between the characters of the fairy tale (the untold embrace yin and yang) , 3) kind of passing through tempest of life together ”yet still the tempest doth rule the ocean”. From Doubtful Bay again to Serenity of Good Hope Bay. Best wishes.
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Date: 7/28/2017 4:45:00 PM
What a well written poem my friend. I hope this wins the contest
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Date: 7/26/2017 1:08:00 AM
you are back with much power in your poetry, harry... this is definitely a winner for me... really compelling, wow.. huggs
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Date: 7/21/2017 9:21:00 AM
Really a great use of words..Mr.Harry.. congrats for the win..
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Date: 7/19/2017 3:08:00 PM
by the way, As I read this one, I expected to see it in the contest of Eve's. If you just added a lighthouse to it, it could be in HER contest I would think.
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Date: 7/19/2017 3:07:00 PM
this one is a very powerful use of words to show the yin and yang of this bay. It's great to see you writing like this again, Harry, and I hope you will post more and more of your poetry here! Thanks for the visit you paid me the other day and sorry it took me a while to get back to you. If you ever want to see more of my sonnets, just click on forms and you will see many many of my sonnets! I sure do love that form. For me, I love when you write like you did here!
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Date: 7/19/2017 1:07:00 AM
"gone the prisoners of her majesty", love this line in its sadness. Reminds me of the time when people falsely accused of crimes were packed like sardines into ships and sent to Australia only for the reason of free labor and population, with no one to sing their eulogies when they died. The unsung heroes, who made Australia what it is today I love your poem .Sad but true, I shall fave this...Maria
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Date: 7/18/2017 12:14:00 PM
"the bay holds no bars grants them amnesty their spirits to roam the ocean floor free." WOW...excellent! Congrats!
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Date: 7/18/2017 9:54:00 AM
I haven't been around to see many poems of late, but this one compels me to praise! Your talent is ever lasting, and this is worthy of being on top! Well done, Harry!
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