The shuddering waves hasten the night
the fullness of the moon hides behind copious clouds,
soon a roar becomes overwhelming amidst the storm
as the lashing rain solidifies upon the creaking bow.
freezing salty air
the siren of the whale’s call
enhance his struggles
It was then, as if a giant hand sweeps away the tempest
when tossed with in its heart, the tigerish rouge is subdued,
the lone sailor cries out in prayer as his trembling fingers
wipe away the remnants from his Bohemian brow.
paper thin egg shell
stained ribbons of wooded ply
wax candle aglow
His prayer was answered suddenly the clouds part
and the prominence of starlight shine through,
with his compass lost and guiding system kaput
he plots his way; sails the furrows of the celestial plough.
tears of gratitude
aid the swelling ocean waves
red sky a warning
Entered Sailing Poetry Contest
Sponsor Julia Ward
Written 2020
Flaring free tickets to the cynosure show,
Waking up early to dusty harmattan blow,
To perceive piercing Uveve whistle set senses on edge,
Death squad masquerades subsumed in gaily attire,
All bedecked in guerrilla cultural parlance,
All disembodied martyr gods,
All traded on fear,
Cannibal cutlasses hunt bloody raw human heads,
Heavenly artists antics in acrobatic flavour,
Madam Agemo, the breastful motherhood of all chimera,
Lurid Lekewogbe, likable, such dashing fashionista menace,
Grand-master Lapanpa, the monitor of all garish tigerish garments,
Tumbling and resplendent Igunuko, the shrouding spirit
Of snow slush lace adornment,
Straw Zangbeto, the fur monster from the underworld,
Petite Yala, the transforming fiery,
Phantom Paramole, the vamoosing magical ogre,
Striding Angere, the stilted strolling storm,
Camouflage Gelede, and the saga of carved breathing heads,
All premodial pageantry of paean and paganism in collision.
{Names of traditional masquerades from Africa}
The vein of bold,
The sacrifice of blood.
Your selfless service mingle into the air melodious,
We have absorbed cheerfully!
Your extra ordinary noteworthy joyous,
We have seen delightly!
Your sharp shields flashed,
And the enemies shievered to see!
You have threaten by many difficulties,
But your tunes jubilliant,
Our heart filled with rejoice.
Against the british rules,
Your integrated will,
We have applauds!
Your silver sweats rolled,
The presence of lotus acquired your pure dews.
Your castless integrity,
Peacock feathers merged your colors.
The script india written by,
Your holy, holy blood.
Your brave tigerish attack,
Enemies flew this country.
You are sacred NO.1!!
You are an EXIST MONUMENT!!
Your tale is also narrated.
You are my country's PRICELESS WEALTH!
Your wounds resound into the heaven!!!
Whenever the flag flying,
I remember your sacrifice,
through my tears lustre!
Nominal! your posthumous award,
My heart kneel down your soil,
This is my best reward!!!
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.