Best Boat Poems
"I wandered lonely as a cloud." William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a boat
a shallow dingy left behind,
alone in marsh of reeds remote
my paint now faint so unrefined,
my only hope the next high tide
on brackish water then I’ll ride,
in aimless drift left up to fate
the wind and wave upon the bay
on rhythmic swells, I’ll grow sedate
with naught to see through mists of gray…
on ripples pale so soft so free
my destination out to sea;
that distant place where lay the sun
across the sunset waters west,
the ambiance of cirrus spun
to brush with colors every crest
where I can bathe in shades so bold
of melting solar marigold.
Yet — let go I must of wishful dreams!
My lifeline dispossessed I strayed
and followed streams with other schemes —
now lofty tide cannot be swayed,
a rustic wreck in reeds reposed
their wind-song whispers I’m imposed.
There’s no escape their soldiers’ lance,
the blades of green so tall and crisp,
with waves they undulate in dance
and breezes ruffle tassels’ wisp,
though swans find beauty mid the reeds
—a wistful coward’s bitter weeds.
Susan Ashley
January 14, 2023
~ Second Place ~
Contest: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 25
Sponsor: Mark Toney
~ Poem Of The day ~
January 16, 2023
Poet’s note: this poem was inspired by, but not written for, the contest: “I Wandered Lonely As… Challenge”, sponsored by Natasha Scragg and judged on September 24, 2022. Thank you, Natasha, for the beautiful William Wordsworth quote and for the poetic inspiration.
Photo: gettyimages; Jay Fleming
Life Spent All Alone
I felt such joy when first my hull met sea.
'Twas years ago before my shattered shell
Was tossed and ravaged, fisherman and me
As we grew old together, now I tell
The story of our lonely life at sea.
There was a maiden who he loved in youth.
A lightning strike took her, 'twas destiny.
He never loved again, that is the truth.
Daily he sadly fished in sun or rain,
Her memory and me his only friend,
Kept company in tune with heartfelt pain.
I remained with him 'till the very end.
I spend my days alone, my time is cast,
Thus I know, he is with his love at last.
5-13-19
Choices Poetry Contest ~First Place~
Sponsor Sara Kendrick
Picture # 2
Life Spent All Alone
paper boat--
how far will it carry
my child's smile
© kash poet (kashinath karmakar)
======================
```Pirate Bay the Haiku```
pirates fierce and mean
drowning fish, sea to sea
parrots on their butt
```Polly Wants A Cracker```
bloodthirst & brutal
Quartermaster Gone Wild
dirty wings on deck
```Sea World Adventure```
ship crew goes on strike
sailing the Caribbean
wooden leg splashing
~*~
Jesus Savior...Pilot Me from walkinginsunlight.com
Across the blackest waters
ripples of pain,
swell into an anguish splashing
against the blackest shore,
and in the rustling of brittle leaves
from the shadows of tallest trees,
the darkness beckons me
to climb aboard, climb aboard,
an empty boat waiting
upon the blackest shore.
Through depths of night, I ride atop
the black of cavernous waves.
They seem to be a hollow echo
calling out my name
from the splashing of the oars
to the splashing of my pain
against the rocking boat
in the blackening of waves.
Across the water, I stir the black
and do not feel afraid,
but wonder if the water knows it holds
my every pain
my every shame
and every tear
cried out on my darkest days.
Then, from the other side, I hear the splash
of steady rain.
The purging from above seems to calm
my darkest pain.
I dip the oars deeper still
to head for waiting shores,
and from the water's floor,
bubbling, rising
more and more,
I hear the splashing,
splashing
of my own resounding laughter.
Then, a calm lightens my struggle
as the sunrise pales
my dark disasters,
and in the glare of morning
from bright sunbeams above,
I remember with a prayer,
I am loved.
I am loved
I am loved.
Written 6/4/20 for Kai Michael Neumann's
Splash Poetry Contest
Nor thunder in the dark, nor flash, nor fire,
nor other pyrotechnics that, they say,
accompany all such events, nor dire
phantasmagorias, going astray
in the unconsciousness. I’m all alone
down by the river which impassive face
turns gold with dusk. The other side is grown
with willows. A bit cloudy; a quick trace
of water striders, playing tag; a heron,
hiding among the reeds; a leaky boat;
an empty planked footway. But where is Charon?
The obol I have brought for him to float
me far away lies on the riverbed:
the tricky death as usual misled.
05/14/2019
Favourite Poem from May, 2019 Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Julia Ward
Turned and tossed like toys
Riding the mighty waves
Their master does what he wilt
To them his humble slaves
Rudely he flings their boats asunder
But calm can be his days
He is his own Master Wild
Unrepentant in his ways
His moods can change quite quickly
From sparkling blues to greys
From lapping shores so softly
To howling roaring waves
Dark skinned men with coal black eyes
Bear their humble offering
To their Mighty God of the Sea
Lowly fishing boats they bring
There are some days when kind he is
They leave with catch intact
But there are others when he demands
The rights to his contract
Their women sit on the shores
Their eyes in trance like state
They pray the Mighty Sea God
Who decides their husband’s fate
Will he be of better mood today
With offerings that they’ve sought
Garlands of scented sandal wood
From the wild woods they have brought
Dark skinned men return with catch
Bursting through the seams
With laughter ringing out they’ve come back home
In scented sandalwood dreams
This poem is dedicated to that kind person who donated me with a Premium Membership. I did not expect it but my grateful thanks comes with a wish of a happy and healthy New Year.
The breeze whispers in my ears:
”Come and join me in a spree
Let's move out towards the sea
Over choppy waves on currents adrift,
See your boat is in full speed,
My strong breeze has filled your sails
And speedily all is glee.
The hot air on the beach is far behind,
For now it's all fresh and clean.
Dolphins jump out of the waves,
Spraying droplets all around,
Till down again they go towards the deep.
Is it not a wonderful sight to see?”
Indigo ink dreams
Dripping from heart
Tattoos tongue with kinetic kiss
Green electric buzz like sip
Of fine blueberry wine so sweet
Dreamy turquoise love touch
Filling me up with red desire
On fire for your romantic antic
Sweeping me off my feet
Carrying me with ease
Of a blue breeze to deserted love island
Where tan sands caress like brown hands
White waters flow warm and toasty
Fast slow then in closing cold
Never let go of this love
For it floats like a boat
As we walk along the beach on a moonlit night
I reach for your hand and grasp it
feeling our pulse pounding together
I stop and turn toward you gazing into your eyes
And what I saw travels deep into my soul
Our minds connect together knowing what we wanted
My lips gently touch yours our very first kiss
Softly and tenderly blending our lips together
Produce a wetness like rain from stormy weather
My tongue slowly moves inside
while caressing your lips tenderly
Our bodies start moving like a slow moving raft at sea
Slowly as the storm approaches land
It feels like I am in a raft lost out at sea
But then as the storm moves closer
The waves are moving faster toward land
Pounding and pounding the ocean seas
I can feel the water flowing into the raft
Then lightning hits our raft
Like an explosion out at sea
Then thunder roars out from your mouth
Like the sound of a lions roaring would be
As the sea slowly calms down
The look in your eyes tells this story
Of two lost souls lost out at sea
That came together in harmony
The mellow western sky darkened,
The sea was calm that night,
Yachts tacking across the bay
Towards their appointed piers.
Luminous moon rays shimmer
Over wavelets that bathed
The coloured pebbles
Strewn all over the long shore.
As night slowly fell
I began my walk along the promenade.
A soft breeze was a welcome to all
Especially to the sailors that plied the bay
In their sleek sailing boats
Now tinged in red by the dying sun.
Along the promenade, I met with friends
A few words of salutation
But I hurried on toward an ancient tower
That once stood guard against pirates
That invades the surroundings.
Plundering and taking slaves with them.
The Tower was now a restaurant,
And there sat my love waiting for me.
The breeze-blown brightness of her hair
Seem to invite me to our destined tryst.
She stood up and we embraced,
A soft kiss on her wet lips.
It was a promising beginning
Of our night of love.
Looking divine a picture goddess
jewels crowning gems sparkling magic
shining beautiful moon princess dazzling light
At a regal glance priceless cut, shines out diamond
silver ivory full face over and back
we dance into the milky way to paradise
In silver shadows we kiss holding sweetly our love
our souls sparkle together amazing dreams shine
this picture forever lives in the mind one treasure
Most adoring of all queens gracious
sweetheart I pray soon one day we will always
be together all I ever want to do deeply
Is make you smile embraced with happiness
its dark here alone shining in all dreams
Light of a thousand stars halo shine around you babe
Silken ribbons whisper tenderly soft
in every thought a warm breeze sails
Silently this boat to you on golden waves
Only if you wish darling
one in a thousand dreams that come true
you're the sweet night in gale singing inside always now in your tune
Just you, me and the open sea,
in a boat with a big white sail.
We’ll ride the surf and laugh with glee,
said the centipede to the snail.
We’ll point our boat towards the sun
as it sets on the edge of the land.
We’ll sing sea songs and have some fun
as we sail away from the sand.
You can search the waves for silver stars
to brighten the blackest night sky,
then catch them in your wee glass jars
before hanging them out to dry.
I myself will fish for a moon,
said the centipede with a smile.
I know I’ll net one really soon,
if not in a very short while.
We’ll light the dark with fairy lights
and just wait for a lullaby
of mermaids bringing golden kites,
then off to our dreams we will fly.
**I wrote this for my niece Ella on her third birthday
One fine day I was fishing at sea
Two big blue whales swam up by me
They flicked their tails sent up a spray
All I could do was watch and pray
They kept flicking and sank my boat
I'm now in the water and here I float
If no one is around to save my life
Then a widow she'll be, my wife.
I'm not afraid of a big blue whale
I'll put a harpoon in its flickering tail
When seas get rough from a blowin' gale
Just pour me another swig of ale.
They kept flicking and sank my boat
I'm now in the water and here I float
If no one is around to save my life
Then a widow she'll be, my wife.
I'd cut my hand and the blood ran free
Three fins appeared ready for their tea
Then from nowhere I heard a shout
"Grab the rope we'll get you out".
They kept flicking and sank my boat
I'm now in the water and here I float
If no one is around to save my life
Then a widow she'll be, my wife.
They hauled me in and saved my neck
I was a soggy heap upon their deck
I was perished they gave me rum
Felt a warm glow in my tum.
They kept flicking and sank my boat
I'm now in the water and here I float
If no one is around to save my life
Then a widow she'll be, my wife.
The sails went up they made for shore
Made a vow to myself the sea no more
Now I'm a crofter working on dry land
And ne'er again see sea or sand.
They kept flicking and sank my boat
I'm now in the water and here I float
If no one is around to save my life
Then a widow she'll be, my wife.
After five months I was longing to be
Back in the boat fishing out at sea
A landlubbers life was not for me
On the water I was free.
They kept flicking and sank my boat
I'm now in the water and here I float
If no one is around to save my life
Then a widow she'll be, my wife.
The credit for the third verse goes to Jenna Logan.
Written 31st January 2021.
It was our pride and joy, that boat...our prize.
We'd sail to Key West every year in fall,
After summer downpours left the noon.
We made our pact there as we both had suffered
from the plague ungluing all our lives.
Now, I'm here next to his pallid body -
pale blue masque on, jaw aslack, grotesque.
He made the leap; he had escaped, was gone
Upon a journey I could not attend.
He left me all alone to to sail solo.
Yet, he was captain and I his lowly mate.
Who would pull the spinnaker to catch the breeze?
Or talk with me as a person, unaffected?
Now, I was all alone just cast upon the water...
I sold that boat...