Best Arion Poems
Favorite Carolyn Devonshire Poem
History Rising from the Sea
Treasure from the sea
Golden doubloon
Sixteenth century artifact
By ancestors hewn
Earth's history lays buried
Beneath five oceans
As undersea tremors
Create violent commotions
Freeing from Spanish galleons
Precious metals, gemstones,
To greet early beachcombers
History on loan
Memories of bygone ages
Scattered on the sand
Finally kissed by sun again
While in a searcher's hand
I pursue this morning trek
With Atlantis on my mind
Seeking proof at last
In treasures I might find
When ancient civilations
Seem to disappear
Comb the beach, you might find
The evidence is here
For from a phoenix rising
New finds appear each day
And I'll not stop searching
Till doubts I can allay
Caroline and I shared of love of water - she the ocean and I lakes and Puget Sound. Her poems flow like tides - effortlessly - with bits of wisdom scattered like treasures of seashells or driftwood found on the beach. This poem speaks of our mutual love of beachcombing for treasures and the pondering of history brought to mind by life's flotsam.
The poem below represents my tribute to Carolyn.
Girl on a Dolphin
Stargazing ocean pixie
Rides the playful weathered waves
To surf the ocean tides
With laughing dolphins
Leaps to catch Delphinus
Starfarer in a star bound chrysalis
To ride this five star celestial constellation
On heaven sent lapis astral waters
Wearing moonstones like Apollo’s poetry
Where starry Aquila flies to Lyra’s music.
Salt spattered waves only gaze
At a girl – eternal sea sprite –
That sits atop a stellar dolphin
And feels the shell torn loss
Of feet that danced through tidal pools,
Delight and awe surging through her signature,
As time bound day searches midnight legends
To align in twinkling sidereal day –
A quest for remnant memories in verses
Of a star born spirit – girl riding on a dolphin.
For Carolyn
8-19-21
Contest: Celebrating Carolyn's Poetry – Not a Contest
Sponsor: Andrea Dietrich
The constellation Delphinus is made up of five stars and can be seen between the constellations of Aquila, the Eagle, and Lyra, the Lyre. It is named for two Greek legends based on dolphins one of which tells of Apollo setting a dolphin in the sky in gratitude for saving the Greek poet Arion. Apollo is the god of music and poetry.
Moonlight creeps through the writhing woodland as
Arion walks alongside me—upward toward the lone mountain.
We had trekked for miles and the way was wearisome,
heavy fog in its obscuring fidelity stalking our every step.
Winds shrieked around us like dissonant flutes—
high pitched, fortissimo screams that died in
and died out dismally.
They reminded me of my own undulating doubts
manifesting into fits of malignant mess—
but the steady sound of our unified steps
soothed my panicking heart—tears flower
my eyes, dropping like dew.
Soon—as many storms do—
the winds died away along with my fears.
That is when the mockingbird
began to stridently trill in the distance,
its venting variations vaguely familiar.
Arion and I stopped in a flat clearing, stunned by its clarity,
listening intently to her songs.
Timelessness touched the forest
as melodies touched our hearts.
When her trills ceased, I first witnessed
the tears of my loyal companion.
Somehow, they made him younger and freer.
Excitement sprouted from his eyes
like wildflowers witnessing their first dawn.
He wiped the tears away with his sleeve
and beamed like a sunrise.
“For just one moment—one moment,
she sounded like my mother,” he stammered.
I grasped his hands and held them to my heart.
Arion looked up to the sky, above the circle of trees,
as if he recognized a face in the midnight expanse.
We made a camp and settled silently in the clearing.
The last thing we remember before closing our eyes
was the overhead flutter of shadowed wings
and a gentle sigh beyond the pines.
(note: this is the third part of an epic about Arion I shared a while ago. The first and second pieces are “Little Glistening Salmon” and “Ocarina Steps”)
Stallions, like species of all creatures, countless in legends,
Chetak, an Indian horse, was peerless in elegance!
Arion, per myths, speaking-horse! Balius, immortal!
Chetak, wise! Served his master, never with ego at all!
Stallion of Maharana Pratap, the king of Mewar,
Had to indulge, with small and great kings, frequently in war;
As one of his great generals, so stood noble Chetak,
Fought war after wars; gained laurels in many a barrack!
Shorter than the tallest of breeds; gallantly graceful gaze!
Sparkling eyes! Soulful search! Not proud, yet, peacock-like neck blaze!
Like plant plumes, curling combing conveniently coiling ears!
Blue heron-like shiny blue skin! He's unique in all spheres!
In majesty, he was king-like! None but the king could hold!
In the run, jump, hop, and gallop, he was boldest of bold!
Pompous! Pugnacious! Alert like a tiger with her cubs!
Courageous to cross hurdles and fall! Or get into drubs!
In a war with the Mughals in the Aravali pass,
King Maharana Pratap and Akhbar were face to face!
Troops of both stood valorous; It's a dire dare: Do! Or die!
Kill or get killed! Or as weakling bid existence: Goodbye!
Remembering and applauding the courageous soldiers,
Who feels forget Chetak thrashing all iron-like boulders?
Fought furiously holding his master on his back strong,
Moved with him, like a leaf with the breeze, victory to bong!
Elephant of Akhbar, with his tusk, leg of Chetak, tore,
Firm on fighting for the fame of his master, pains he bore;
Opponent defeated; war won; reaching his master home,
He collapsed; Like a strong soldier; left to his loyal loam!
06 October 2021
A Notable Horse Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Robert James Liguori
The man had always seen the dolphin in his tree…he never had a doubt
and using a chain saw when that live oak died…he let that dolphin out.
You see his parents used to love the stars…they’d sit for hours enjoying the view
and through the myths and legends they told to him….he learned to love them too.
But of all the stories they related…none of them was greater
than the one about the constellation Delphinus…
(found just north of the equator).
This story took place a long time ago…in the 7th century BC:
It seems Arion, a wealthy court musician, was on his way back from Sicily.
when the crew of the ship he was on…unconcerned for Arion’s health
conspired against the musician…to relieve him of his wealth.
The crew offered Arion a choice…with no place for him to flee…
they would kill him where he stood or he could fling himself into the sea.
Deciding to throw himself overboard…and knowing he didn’t have long
Arion asked his captors…if he could sing a song.
So beautiful was his singing…so sad and hypnotic to the ear
that a pod of dolphins out of nowhere gathered round…to hear.
and when Arion finally flung himself into the sea…according to folklore
a dolphin, charmed by the beauty of his singing, carried him to shore….
The God, Apollo, as a reward for saving Arion from a certain death at sea
found that dolphin a place among the stars…for all eternity.
Today that man continues to see that dolphin
as he enjoys the stars in an evening breeze
and he no longer wonders why he also sees them
among the rocks, in the clouds…in the trees…
For he knows it goes back to those quiet nights
and the part his parents played in his creation...
in opening of a young boy’s mind
and the birth of his imagination.
Written By: D. Collins 1/7/26
Project 2025 is staring us right in the face.
Kick everybody out except the Arion race.
Just take over countries like Hitler did.
And shoot down women in Minneapolis.
It sure feels like a welcome to the very end.
In hurry-up mood and expedited fashion.
Similarities can be drawn in parallel lines.
Jews aren't the victims at this point in time.