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The Better of the Sea (Free verse) by abecedarian
Diesel fumes had weeks ago given way to an imposed and permanent silent drifting whose own mephitic lullabye repels all surprise. I slept bell after bell Rope after rope Fish after fish In my dirty cotton hammock Twelve knots of repair Mark my time away from home My boredom often permits a daydream where those same knots are no longer in my hammock but under the waters surface being dragged in our wake But by St. Osmund's testicles tonight that hammock got the better of the sea - knots undone, it dropped my rusting ass to the deck! And now as I look out over the water I swear I feel a breeze

Up the ladder: Call Vegas!!!

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Arithmetic Mean: 6.5333333
Weighted score: 6.3505554
Overall Rank: 826
Posted: August 20, 2003 4:47 PM PDT; Last modified: August 24, 2003 9:26 PM PDT
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Comments:
[9] http://mulberryfairy @ 216.195.146.7 | 20-Aug-03/4:58 PM | Reply
I hope the narrator was doing something productive during his/her sailing time. Not just sailing because he/she is rich. What is the metaphor? Failing relationship?
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.46.73.15 > http://mulberryfairy | 24-Aug-03/9:41 PM | Reply
- How the context of situtations affects our perception of them.
(Noxious diesel fumes vs./ being stranded)
(Getting dropped on your ass vs./ being bored)

-How humour often arises under odd circumstances
-And a small preachy bit about how situtations are mostly what we make of them.
[9] ecargo @ 64.252.80.2 | 20-Aug-03/6:00 PM | Reply
Well, I don't know why you'd have to be doing something "productive" other than sailing, but that aside:

There's good stuff here to be chiseled out. Too many modifiers. Why a "dull" permanance? How 'bout a "silent sail"? Lose "caring." Kill the ending.


space . . . i believe in . . .
jefry with one f, jef-ry
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.46.73.15 > ecargo | 24-Aug-03/9:42 PM | Reply
Well the ending didn't deserve to die, I just stripped it of its rank and title. Absolutely right about the word choices, though.
My chainsaw was dull, I'll try not to let it happen again.
[8] Shardik @ 24.126.113.154 | 20-Aug-03/7:20 PM | Reply
I once sailed to Catalina with my friend, and the boat started leaking and i screamed like a crooked wristed woman and run amuck in a tiff.
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.46.73.15 > Shardik | 24-Aug-03/9:44 PM | Reply
at least you had excitement :)
[9] SupremeDreamer @ 63.93.100.51 | 21-Aug-03/4:21 AM | Reply
nice work.. just one thing bugs me:

Whose cradling caring grip

take the word caring and toss it into a trashcan.. its useless filler.. that makes the line weak.. it made my eyes sore..

blessed with nine
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.46.73.15 > SupremeDreamer | 24-Aug-03/9:27 PM | Reply
good call
[8] richa @ 81.86.241.46 | 21-Aug-03/5:22 AM | Reply
Good this, nice use of language.
The last line was funny, but 'rusting ass'?
well set up
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.46.73.15 > richa | 24-Aug-03/9:46 PM | Reply
hmm yeah I thought about the rusting ass.
I decided that I like that phrase, but it needed something....
Ah yes! St. Osmund's testicles! That's exactly what it needed!
[9] ecargo @ 64.252.65.70 > abecedarian | 24-Aug-03/10:02 PM | Reply
Oh, yes indeed! Nice edit! "Mephitic" is my new favorite word.
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.46.73.15 > ecargo | 24-Aug-03/10:22 PM | Reply
(gratitude)
[9] INTRANSIT @ 66.208.199.194 | 25-Aug-03/5:20 PM | Reply
I hate people who write sailing verse better than I. Grrr. I pray... I pray..... something nasty and including a great white whale. I think I've just poxed myself.lol
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.40.32.229 > INTRANSIT | 26-Aug-03/4:43 PM | Reply
heh
[10] eliastemplar @ 216.147.132.2 | 26-Aug-03/9:40 AM | Reply
I enjoyed your poem, and it held my interest. Not that I have a short attention span. I havn't owned a T.V. in eight years. With most poems, I read the first few lines and see no reason to finish. I think what they lack is a hook. Not like a hook in a Pop song, but the kind that makes you wonder whats next. I suppose it just boils down to creativity, weather it be what the poem is about or how it's told, there needs to be something unusual. Your poem was beautiful because it took me to a place I have not been. Thanks (10)
[n/a] abecedarian @ 4.40.32.229 > eliastemplar | 26-Aug-03/4:38 PM | Reply
Thank you.
[8] <~> @ 64.252.17.3 | 26-Aug-03/6:56 PM | Reply
this just keeps getting better. nice job.
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