Long Whaler Poems

For years, Tim had the visions
Seeing things that no one could
If he spoke of them, he's crazy
He kept quiet, like he should
Just normal, little, visions
Of people who were dead 
Just wandering in places
He knew weren't...

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I'm a Piketown son who left his mum
To sail the eastern shores
Spent a year in Gloucester
'mong the barkeeps and the whores

Then a man came 'round to Gloucester town
Said boys I need a few
Strapping lads such...

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GTF

Wizened skin like burnished leather
Thin, grey and long, disheveled hair
Clear, sharp blue eyes that seem to stare
Through sun scorched face, alert, aware

A ‘lived-In’ face that’s so expressive
Tales he tells read like a missive
His arms and...

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Alma was a Barracuda, married two times four,
she knew the game, she played so well and never failed to score.

So, when the chance came about to scam a naive Sailor,
she knew she had to do...

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Song of the mystic whaler 

Come on board to play and work 
come on board to learn to sing and praise the mystic whaler 
sailing on the mighty Hudson 

Come sing the mystic whaler 
hoist...

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Don Arracho was fifty-four years old.
Rancho de Plata, gained from mission sale,
was Arracho's for price of a little gold.
Officials closed the mission's door, sad tale
when Spaniards came to grief and hold did fail.
Church gave release...

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A Whaling Tale

by Gabriel Magno

The whaling ships approach as I stare into the bay,
today I said by short farewells, to friends who pled I stay. 

A whaler I have dreamt to be, since I stood...

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(Or, The Whaler) 

Everybody wants a piece of my action
Everyone wants a piece of me 
Time is money — no satisfaction 
All I want is to get myself free 

I became famous — 
Vulgar and...

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The dark sea heaves, the bright sea sighs,
Swells cup boats in a ballad’s swing,
Or drown birds when they skyward rise.
Always their roars and murmurs ring,
And their echoes to seashells cling.
Timeless tides do tirelessly sound
A castaway’s...

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Harpoon raised,
 the chaser boat in full flight.
Coiled rope, explosive head,
 cold steel reflects
                the fading light.

Oil spill blood
 surrounds...

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Three blank canvasses lean  against a hallway corner wall
Upstairs are boxes of paints, brushes and knives
Finished signed framed paintings hang throughout the house
Woodcarved dragons sit on shelves in homes across the world
Each Boston Whaler...

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Three blank canvasses lean plastic wrapped against a hallway corner wall
Upstairs are boxes filled with paints and brushes and several sets of knives
Finished signed framed paintings hang throughout the house
Woodcarvings adorn shelves in Germany, Florida,...

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December morn, Claus's wife's horn, squeezed out,
Good tempers worn, Claus wretched concern,  about,
Elves night, the naughty list grew,
Claus's name was added too,
She's crackers turned, Claus stout whaler--no doubt.
 
It's Frosty time of year, though...

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So you’re fifteen and have a part time job walking distance from home
How safe is that?
So you’re living fifteen bars down from Queen’s Surf Waikiki
How safe is that?
So you’re another shipyard worker on a half...

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