Based on a real experience I had a few years ago, written with the help of Brian across the miles!


Encounter on Fishery Bay (Co-write with Brian Oarr)



I.

The sand is perfect ripples undulating to the bay,
as the 6:00 A.M. sun flashes open a sulfur-eye,
yawns and apologizes for its January warmth.
She emerges her tent, much as she has entered the world,
naked, but filled with wonder and an attitude.
The glassy water winks her an invitation,
morning's blank canvas beach
etched only by random footprints of seabirds.
Taking advantage of the serenity,
haltingly slipping between the waves,
her skin bristles, subsumes cool ocean freshness,
surfboard bobs obediently at her side.

II.

On this planet we have friends, who
pose no questions and pass no criticisms,
who the more they trust, the less
we can afford to make a mistake.

III.

Like a pat of butter skimming a hot pan,
she lolls blissfully on the board, soaking up scenery,
heedless to the approach from the rear,
yet, sensing she is being watched.
Dorsal fins break the water's surrounding skin,
as a pod of bottlenoses dance and play,
pretend to be oblivious, as she floats within their sights.
Their presence startles, still, she quietly observes their folly,
willing them to come ever closer...
Her outstretched hand beckons them to
circle with puppy-like curiosity.

IV.

Arguably, the perfect couple is a mother and child;
babies do more to females than make them mothers,
they bond them in a sisterhood of knowing recognition,
to which others need not apply.

V.

Coriolis swirl of scarred dolphin bodies evades inquiring fingertips,
eye of the alpha-female fixed intently on the floating visitor,
who in turn looks back in shared wonder ---
Between two mothers of the Earth, a psychic trust is formed.
The bottlenose rolls a streamlined fusiform body,
revealing a smaller version of her own,
tucked safely against her white underbelly.
The sun was racing Apollo's arc,
as they silently slipped beneath the plane and were gone.
She knew they'd been fending off a shark attack and
wished there were some way to fend off trawlers with gill nets.
A single tear rolls down her cheek,
trickles off the board merging with salty blue beneath,
reaching compassionately for her sister in the sea.




Poetry by Purple Phoenix
Read 868 times
star mini Editors' choice
Written on 2009-07-07 at 08:41

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Rob Graber
Vivid and provocative. It's hard to make a didactic poem work, but this one does. I like especially the instructive directness of II and IV, nicely contrasting with the longer, desciptive stanzas. Great co-write!
2009-08-07


Esti D-G The PoetBay support member heart!
Bookmarked!
Loved it! psychic trust ....
2009-08-03



Precision work here. The technique of creating a lot of white space between each section of the poem and heading them with Roman numerals provides an easy transition from scene to scene, idea to idea. Stunning capture of a unique and almost transcendental experience. Keep up the good work.
2009-07-29


Editorial Team The PoetBay support member heart!
This text has been chosen to be featured on the front page of PoetBay. Thank you for posting it on our poetry website.
2009-07-29



An incredible moment, and a memory to be cherished for life, surely.

You make the scene come very much alive, and I think there's a good balance between the descriptive and the reflective ..
2009-07-29


liz munro The PoetBay support member heart!
You had me holding my breath
when the fin appeared as first
thought is a shark, although I
do watch too many horror movies lol.

I like the calm in this and the
sadness felt at the end

A very enjoyable read

~L.~
2009-07-29


jenks The PoetBay support member heart!
so long and thanks for all the fish :)
now ive said the inevitable may i say this is so evocotive!
i imagine it is not easy to capture the spirit of dolphins in words and yet you have both done it beautifully.
i enjoyed the way you have seperated each verse and like the wonderful lyrical flow...very oceanic :)
do i detect a mother and woman at work here?
im keeping this one because it deserves it.
2009-07-28


Elle The PoetBay support member heart!
This is such a wonderfully colourful and descriptive text - we have dolphins here and it is always such an honour to see them, really enjoyed this co write - I felt I was there

Elle x
2009-07-28