Ocean is more ancient than the mountains, and
freighted with the memories and the dreams of time.
—H.P. Lovecraft, The Best of H.P. Lovecraft:
Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre
His Overboard Tale
My captain bellows, “heave-ho.”
Off the plank I go, overboard.
I plunged into the night, entangled in
aberrant irises of the deep.
When my abject insanity rewinds,
I wish that I had swallowed the sea.
The kiss of salt and seaweed,
the wretch filled my lungs.
The Shes were more fish than maid
with huge hips and floundering tails.
The strange language of burbles,
their breasts made me gag…
Seahag hair, menacingly like Medusa’s.
I surmised sirens locks would actually bite.
My dreams capsized.
Why am I alive?
I’d rather that the chest be covered.
I shall never recover.
That’s why this landlubber
drinks and drinks, burbles.
At the end I was found on a rock.
I hit the rocks hard.
Swallow the water, lad.
Leave no room for desire.
Mermaids are a misnomer;
breaststroking in Bruichladdich proof.
Have a swim lad in this label
and stay far away from shore.
Categories:
overboard, fear, sea,
Form: Free verse
She is
but a passing shadow
flitting across the moonlit sea
Wandering waves
roaming their ripples
in search of her next
ship to board
Steered by starlight
she journeys to fresh horizons
constellations
mapped many moons ago
with no route to a harbor
or home
Yet, a paradox
in this pattern of flight
a sudden urge
to reach for the ties
severed by her departure
With each anchored vessel
and fleeting bond formed
her endless quest for more
finds less and less
as the gap
she longs to bridge just grows
Soon
her chances will sail
into the night
and out of view
leaving her final leap to land
in the deep
dark blue
Then
without a ship
to join or jump
no ties
to save or sever
She’ll be
but a fading shadow
sinking into the moonlit sea.
Categories:
overboard, angst, blue, irony, metaphor,
Form: Free verse
Why couldn't we be best friends my love
Our hearts afire, once matched like a glove
Yet your eyes are now distant from me
Be best friends my love, why couldn't we
I've been the straightest arrow you know
I loved you from your head to your toe
Lately your love for me is narrow
You know, I've been the straightest arrow
You were the loved one, you played the field
But I got over your ball and healed
Love is blind, I forgave what you done
You played the field, you were the loved one
Do you want to save this sinking ship
Perhaps go into dry dock and grip
Or do you send me off with a wave
This sinking ship, do you want to save
9/21/22
Swap Quatrain Poetry Contest
Sponsor-Emile Pinet
N/A
Categories:
overboard, best friend, hurt, lost
Form: Quatrain
Two scruffy pirates picked me up.
Intending to toss me overboard.
I weighed too much; they were struggling.
True.
They needed to lighten their load.
But I was not going easy.
I purposefully got heavier.
"She is flotsom," the tall fat one said.
"Jetsam," the dumb ugly one argued.
"Let's get a dictionary," I said. "Let's do this right."
This gave me a few more days,
as there were no books on this ship.
Categories:
overboard, fun, humorous, word play,
Form: Light Verse
Overreacted to what
Was placed within the
Current path
Went emotional overboard
With reactions as of late
Emotions took brief control
Over the heart of the matter
Then crazy fogs has passed
Leaving claim in its Wake
Thank god in heaven
Categories:
overboard, change,
Form: Lyric
Overboard
Knocked overboard by my brother the leech,
I awoke to find myself on a beach,
covered in seaweed and sand.
I’ll ruin his plans; I’ll fight and survive,
with no real supplies, I’ll conquer and thrive,
till justice I’ll demand.
On a tall windy hill, I built my shack;
out of the swamps; away from bugs attack,
beside the volcano.
On hilltops perch, my fire flashed to sea,
where those who search, could easily find me;
was lit by drill and bow.
Fresh water filled a hole from daily rain,
with Tortoise Bob to ease my lonely pain;
I bore my toiling stay.
In the island’s lagoon I speared my fish.
Each morn I arose by prayer and a wish,
to survive through the day.
Now in court I stand for jury to see,
the dark depths of my brothers treachery,
as the fear in him grows.
Thoughtful jurors moved to another room,
to quickly return, and lower the boom,
and send to the gallows.
1/10/2017
For the Tropical Island contest.
Categories:
overboard, adventure, betrayal, life, success,
Form: Tail-rhyme
Jonah fled from God because he didn't want to warn the Ninevites.
But he finally came to his senses, Jonah soon saw the light.
Jonah went aboard a ship and Jehovah God caused a terrible storm.
When God gave Jonah the mission to carry out, he refused to conform.
The ship was in terrible danger because Jonah had angered The Lord.
Jonah told the people to save themselves by tossing him overboard.
At first they wouldn't toss him overboard, they flat out refused.
But they finally did it so their lives wouldn't be something they'd lose.
But Jonah didn't drown, God showed compassion by making a whale swallow him.
Jonah survived after being swallowed when normally he would've met a fate that was grim.
When God protected him from death, Jonah saw the error of his ways.
When I think about the power of God, I'm in awe and I'm truly amazed.
Categories:
overboard, bible, god, religious, storm,
Form: Rhyme
You bob up and down
In the vast blue sea
Standard and alone
Chilled to the bone
Can’t feel your legs
Finger all numb
As you pray to god for someone to come
Too painful to cry
No energy to shout
Pretty clear time is running out
Thinking of your family
All of your friends
life slowly coming to a bitter end
with no fight left and nowhere to go
stuck in the tide tossing to and throw
the mistress has been kind to you this day
pushing you close to a sandy bay
a fishing man spots you pulls you to the Shaw
holds you in his arms wipes the sand from your face
you truly won’t forget this wonderful place
written by M. BURTON
Categories:
overboard, courage, emotions, fear, hope,
Form: Rhyme
My bedroom has been flooded
and now I'm drowning in my thoughts.
Questions of what is and what isn't
floating about like hundreds of jellyfish.
They wait for me to venture out
so that they can sting me and send me
sinking
into the abyss that is my very own mind.
There are also two sharks,
Loneliness and Depression.
The scent of blood in my veins
has made them hungry.
I can't swim
and I have no place to hide.
Man overboard!
Categories:
overboard, angst, confusion, depression, fear,
Form: Free verse
Im happy as long as im free
so why live by admiralty?
im not on a boat
my thoughts make me float
this continent isnt a sea
Categories:
overboard, life,
Form: Limerick
God has already prepared a big sea fish;
So, throw Jonah overboard.
You will make promises to this God
After you throw Jonah overboard.
The wild squall will finally be calmed
When you throw Jonah overboard.
Pray to God for what you're about to do
And throw Jonah overboard.
You won't be able to row back to land;
So throw Jonah overboard.
Though the sea is raging violently,
Throw Jonah overboard!
The guilty man told you what to do;
So throw Jonah overboard.
Ask him why the ship's about to break;
Then, throw Jonah overboard.
Cast your lots to see on whom it falls;
Then, will you throw Jonah overboard?
Tell him to call on his God for help;
Later, you'll throw Jonah overboard.
Go below deck to wake the deep sleeper
And throw Jonah overboard.
Don't throw your cargo off the ship.
Throw Jonah overboard!
No need to pray to any other god;
Just throw Jonah overboard,
For the God of earth who sent this storm
Wants you to throw Jonah overboard.
He told you he was running from God.
So, throw Jonah overboard!
Or give back his fare to save yourself,
And don't let Jonah board.
Categories:
overboard, adventure, education, faith, natural
Form: Blank verse
Constantly trying to get something for oneself--
Sit down, you're rocking the boat.
Constantly trying to have the last word--
Sit down, you're rocking the boat.
Constantly judging yourself and others--
Sit down, you're rocking the boat.
Remember, you are never lost at sea.
Simply sit down in the boat
and allow the mothering waves
to embrace and guide you on your way.
When, at last, you hear the call,
"All ashore, who's going ashore,"
you may find that you have decided to stay in the boat.
Well, then you need to go back to the beginning, and read the poem again.
Categories:
overboard, funny, imagination, introspection,
Form: Free verse
On the icy edge of never
where she turned down every try,
he pursued his great endeavor
with a twinkle in his eye.
Never take no for an answer,
was his motto to the end,
for he was a great romancer,
hiding out as just a friend.
In the middle of the Harbor,
swimming with her in July,
he expressed his growing ardor,
giving blatant truth a try.
Though she laughed then at the notion,
(he was older,fat and bald)
she remarked at his devotion,
and she seemed a bit enthralled,
Then he spoke about his money
and a precious diamond ring
she began to call him honey,
They were married in the spring.
So don't jump to quick conclusions,
when the prospect's looking dim,
Love is more than sweet effusions,
bring your bankbook when you swim.
Categories:
overboard, funny, love,
Form: Couplet