I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

26 June 2016

Once, on a 16-foot Trailer-Sailor

It was Broome to Darwin –
but we skipped 
part of the Sound,
and cut across
the top of the Gulf.
Not enough time
to hug and explore
those long, intricate shores.

It was 40 degrees plus 
(Celsius); only warm salt water 
to tip on ourselves 
from a bucket dipped over the side.
Fresh was rationed for drinking –
couldn't always find
pool or stream  
up the inlets.

It was clear nights 
lounging on deck;
uncountable stars
crowding the vast black dome overhead;
and one tiny, quick white satellite.
It was crocodiles sunning.
Waterfalls. Four-storey tides.
Beach sand inland, impossibly high.


Note: 40ºC is 104ºF.  (It was the tropics! But the nights cooled off somewhat).

Responding to a prompt at 'imaginary garden with real toads', to write on sailing in 100 words max (excluding title).

22 comments:

  1. Thanks for your response Rosemary. Luv your amazement, rythym and recall, reads like a chant

    Much love...

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  2. This is almost hallucinatory in its iteration -- the details of this sailing surely burned themselves into the speaker. I read sea-tales voraciously for some years--it's where I got my online handle Brendan--there is something about the extremity found there which is like opium to the reader. Anyway, this burns so finely without ornament or much need for narrative: the net is brimming with the voyage. Great work.

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    1. Yes, it was a great adventure. It was a journey of some weeks, and included events of which I could make several narratives – but not in just 100 words.

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  3. To me it sounds like paradise my older self would avoid... Too much of comfort missing, but we miss the countless stars... Sounds like a very small boat... (But I think it was the same size as my first adventure)

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    1. Well, it was 28 years ago! I didn't find it too uncomfortable then, but wouldn't contemplate it now. It was a fairly small boat, yes. There were only three of us on board, and that was a bit crowded. And yes, it was paradise too.

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  4. Sounds pretty wonderful--warm but in a sultry way--and difficult but in retrospect cherished. Thanks. k.

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    1. More than warm, Karin, in the daytimes – excessively hot. But you can acclimatise to anything.

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  5. Sounds like a really nice boat outing, Rosemary. I'm envious because I am betting it was over in N.Z. It is sooo pretty, we did a Princess Cruise around the Eastern and Southern shores (then over to Tasmania and ended in Sydney).
    Two weeks ago we were at the opposite end of the world, crossing the Artic Circle north of Iceland.
    ..

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    1. No, JIm, Broome and Darwin are in the troipical far north of Australia. It was HOT.

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    2. PS I'm pretty sure they don't have crocodiles in NZ, either.

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    3. So sorry, Rosemry. I don't know my Aus geography very well I think, though, that I knew Darwin was in your north. I didn't see any crocks any place but Crocadile Dundee I did know. As far south as Tasmania? We have alligators here in Southeast Texas.
      ..

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    4. No, our crocs are up north in the hot places. I saw alligators in Florida. They are not nearly so dangerous as our crocs.

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  6. Ha. So real. I have been in places similar. 80% wonderful. 20% scary.

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  7. ...and of course sometimes they are the same!

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    1. Yes. 100 words didn't leave me room to mention the storm, nor the huge whirlpool. As you see, we survived.

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  8. This was so beautifully written - it gave me chills and transported me to those desolate waters.

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    1. Good adjective! Yes, we most often saw no-one else around.

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  9. Sounds like a wonderful adventure to have had. You are brave and daring.

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  10. You took me there. I can SEE that bowl of stars. Have sen such a sky, in the heavens above the small islands off of Tofino.

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  11. Oh I feel as if you are close to where I live now...the unbearable heat and the crocodiles and waters -- however I've not seen the "uncountable stars" here and wish for that! Enjoyed the rhythm in this...Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Very similar to where you are, Stacie. The area I'm talking about here is even closer to the Equator, but only a little. I spent a lot of time there 30-odd years ago, including this boat trip.

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