A sea-faring vessel on Galilean
Sea, fully dutied, dawn's a storm.
The ship's crew saw Christ walk
on water -- disciples inclusive.
Peter bid to partake, Christ said,
"Come." He beheld watery life
'neath the becalm Sea Glass, and
his whole being walks over it, raises
his inner glory to Christ's glory
divine, voice of assurance.
The storm woke Peter and fear
joined the climb. The Sea Glass robs
Peter's leap of faith to a sunken fate.
" ... little faith ... room for doubt."
The storm ends, and Peter is safe
onboard.
A vessel stern bids farewell, and its
crew praising the Son of God, as a
parting wanes a shimmering glass
sea mid a new calm proverbial day.
REMEMBER IT ALL
So many memories that leave few traces
All the friends I knew and their faces
And when the time is nigh, at least I’ll try
To remember it all
It’s been so long, a danger of forgetting
As recollection fades it becomes upsetting
And when it’s time to rest, I’ll do my best
To remember it all
The decades pass and we don’t meet that often
Is it even true that feelings can soften
And playing my last card, it won’t be hard
To remember it all
Events and times that happened in my youth
Whether fact or fantasy, but I know the truth
A photo album from which those faces are staring
Blurred but smiling, I wonder how they’re faring
Images that I still see, and it depends on me
To remember it all
For nigh on a hundred-fifty years it has graced the rugged shore of Maine!
Its welcoming beacon guiding sea-faring souls who sail the mighty main!
It has weathered untold fearsome storms of gale, snow, sleet and rain;
A faithful, stalwart sentry defying such nuisances, guarding its vast domain!
Old Captain Blair, its keeper, knows all too well the perils of the sea,
For he captained majestic sailing ships for many decades, you see.
He wearily climbs the circular stair to light the candles at close of day,
And with practiced eye, scans the roiling sea to ascertain that all is okay.
Alas, one dark and stormy night the US Frigate Arcturus met her fate!
A blinding fog and raging seas doomed the Arcturus on that fateful date!
The beam of the lighthouse could not be seen! There was naught to do!
The ship was dashed upon unforgiving shoals drowning her valiant crew!
The old lighthouse still guards that stretch of sea to this very day.
Modern lamps now cast their beam while Captain Blair sleeps 'neath the clay!
How many times have you imagined
What your final words might be?
Our whole life builds to its ending...
We hope one of serenity.
Sad. But oft it happens
So much sooner than one expects -
Our last opportunity to express
The secret self that one protects!
My last request, like that of many
Before me and to follow -
Please tell my family that I love them
And to live their dreams with each tomorrow.
Let them know that though afraid,
I somehow was at peace.
For I know other's lives were spared
Though mine was doomed to cease.
Briefly I can celebrate
For I am part of a unique group
Who travelled on Titanic
Before she sank into the soup...
The brine bubbles and rises.
Titanic groans and cries...
Fare thee well to she and me!
It's time to close our eyes.
The many boats around sit in the harbour
One tailing the other now and then
Serried lined and flanked with one another
They pause for thought gathering day before them
The ferrous water sits so still in motion
As plankton line the sterns and afts like moluscs
Peeping over ropes and bobbing under
Waiting out the storming rain and thunder
They never see a passer by or vendor
Instead their vision remains steady on the water
Where promises of undulating sea throngs
Bring mystery to ocean faring wonder
I always prayed for a baby girl before
Asked god for nothing more
She brought so much happiness in our lives
Academics being the only thing, where she strives.
As I prepared her for her school test one night
and she wasn't learning anything right.
I was running out of patience, methods and time
All the while she tried very hard to mime.
After hours of learning she wasn't faring too well.
I threatened her to correctly spell.
I wasn't gentle enough while tying her braid.
Though I didn't raise my voice, she knew study is all for what I cared.
The pressure I put on her makes her forget and second guess herself.
Disappointment she sees in my eyes ,if she doesn't answer and needs help.
The expectation in my voice to pass the test and score,
She worries that if she fails, Mommy won't love her anymore.
I am tough on her for her own good is what I argue
but in my heart I know, that is not true
I wish of a world with no exams, so I could just let her be
Trained to think, her failure will somehow reflect on me.
We Swooning Sparking Sparkling Fiery Fierce Lovers, By Davieo, David Rothchild
We Swooning Sparking Sparkling Fiery Fierce Lovers
When we were wholly as one true being complete
Long known birth names could not be recalled
A body was a sublime sky shaping unmovable mountain
Eyes were closed, translucent time faring glowing minds
Were lit with supernal love, diamond-sapphire happinesses
Kisses rained like golden rivers of sky posed painted joys
A love ocean deep rebalanced, memorialized empyrean emotions.
We Swooning Sparking Sparkling Fiery Fierce Lovers, By Davieo, David Rothchild
To fill each tethered sail, the winds must blow
in harmony, while gentle currents flow,
and if good fortune wishes to prevail,
the winds must blow to fill each tethered sail.
To still the roaring sea the winds must calm
for sailing ships to play their faring psalm,
and when St. Elmo hears a sailor’s plea,
the winds must calm to still the roaring sea.
To stem a tempest surge, the currents stream
beneath the bow, from port to starboard beam,
for ev’ry sailor knows, before their sails emerge,
the currents stream to stem the tempest surge.
As tides recede in rhythm with the moon,
that beams its brilliance, making lovers swoon,
the rains subside while railing winds concede
in rhythm with the moon, as tides recede.
Beyond the stormy night, when rains subside,
the winds will sing in tempo to the tide.
A rainbow may surprise the morning’s light
when rains subside beyond the stormy night.
Host: Mark Toney
Marathon Contest mile 20
10-1-22
Water runs and waves and dances,
Never still. Always advances.
It entertains everybody,
Is calming, soothing, moving - free!
Water, like all life, has purpose
On and above the Earth's surface,
Aiding our Earth's ecology,
Is calming, soothing, moving - free!
It proves sea-faring workers brave.
Water massages when we bathe,
Makes us feel light, gives buoyancy,
Is calming, soothing, moving - free!
The sound of water brings pleasure,
Amazes when used for leisure.
Respect it and good it will be,
Is calming, soothing, moving - free!
Written 6th September 2022
For the "A Kyrielle About Water" contest.
Sponsor: Kim Rodrigues
Losing contact will be a loss. Hopefully dynamics will change soon, and you can, and will be able to tell me, how your day-to-day things are going, and, how internally your overall outlook is faring. I don’t pretend to know what you are still going through. Will just be saddened, if you no longer feel free, to look in my direction to confide in, or, as a long term ally to turn to.
A neighbor’s car backs out of its garage.
Red brake lights splash on a dark window.
I imagine a bobblehead Jesus
nodding eagerly.
For a moment I want to go
where all god-faring Americans go,
to stand later with bowed head
in a pool of dusty sunlight,
smell the pious electricity of faith
in a Sunday place.
Yet soon a praising sight will reach
above the darkened trees,
nomadic angels will shape
the light music of songbirds.
Departing shadows will offer up
the sweet green earth
as the best prayer that there ever was.
Ningbo Stranger
A dock worker in Ningbo diagnosed with Covid
So, the port is now shut down.
Continents away, we've never met
But at him, in annoyance, I frown.
Suddenly, this stranger has entered my life
We're in an odd sort of relationship
He is causing a great inconvenience
Now our desired commodities cannot ship.
But his specter lingers in my mind
I'm wondering how he is faring
He probably has a wife and kids
My emotions shift to caring.
This plague has touched the entire world
We share a virus with one another
Maybe it's here to urge us to touch
Each other as sister and brother-in-law.
Molly Moore
In sundry ways deaf to your zeal
Which foxy whims fruitless sway,
My wandering self did finally feel
Pearliest sparks of your legit ray.
Inured by bestial blinding decoys
Which easiest-faring limb obeys,
I did heed a deluding artful voice
That upon artless hearers preys.
For want of fine wholesome sense
Which your ancient anthems teach,
My guessing soul staggered tense;
Serf to a brutish debauching leech.
Yet now have my penitent eyes
At last gleaned your folios wise,
And found therein priceless wit
Sublimer than sage magi's writ.
Since gales do by Nature’s arm blow
In dizzying storms far from the shore,
So even choiceless boats must move,
As unyielding gusts so restless prove.
Not every motioning vessel afloat
High waters as ship or small boat
Chose to tease furious ocean tide,
Or test mild sharks' waspish pride.
Some swift sea-faring boats would
Anon stop if winds in unison stood,
And relish a sober long-wanted rest
From hard sails by another pressed.
The wavy sail isn’t necessarily sweet
Just because that fast-voyaging fleet
Seems to glide over bubbly bounds
In unwillingly smooth gleeful rounds.
Remember gusts by Nature’s arm roll;
And mortals' temporal boats must fall,
Or rise along sternly unyielding trails
Left by glum oceans' unresting gales.
From folly’s flaw, for truth I fled
fiercely fueled, freely faith*-led…
…feeling flared, fearing falling
forward faring, fully unfailing…
…firstly fixed, reinforced to follow
fairly framed for fulfillment-flow...
...freedom from God of salvation-flight
feast of my soul from hell-fight's fright,
*Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
January 20, 2020
(Rhyme with alliteration)
Honorable Mention, "Twist my Tongue" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Nina Parmenter; judged on 1/21/2020.
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