A Fisherman's Night Dream

[oneighty]

I throw my anchor to the muddy creek.
The boat drifts back on the falling tide.
The anchor holds.
I make it fast tight and neat
Make it fast to the forward cleat.

I move about and clean the deck
Nets hung high so they can dry.
Gear all stowed and put away
All is set for another day.

Now in the galley I make supper
Onions shrimp and bread and butter.
Fish and beans and boiled rice.
All washed down with Kool Aid water.

A clean white sheet upon my bed
A soft clean pillow to rest my head
Another sheet to keep some heat.
A cool wind is gently blowing.
Oh! Sure it will be a wonderful night.

I lay back and stare at darkness
Ancient memories within my head
Of olden friends some now dead
Of those I loved and those I wronged.
Bitter memories tear my soul.

The earth turns beneath the water
The rising tide will shortly follow
Turning my boat from end to end
Sleep in turn calms my fears
I close my eyes on lonely tears.

An olive face drifts into view
Within her arms a crying child
Her slanted eyes search my soul
Her brown dry eyes are wild, wild.
Oh Lord I beg her, let me be.

I bolt upright from sweating sleep
My trembling feet on the dewy deck
My pounding heart is slowing down.
What is that scratching? What is that sound?
On the blue painted bottom of my boat.

What creepy thing engulfs my soul?
What pulls and twists me to the rail?
What takes me into muddy water?
And chokes forever my screams of terror.

Taken there by those once loved.

1979

From 'Voyages of the Vicky Mary' Copyright 2005

180

[Droopy]

1. Haunting

I like how you change the mood of the poem going from pleasant to disturbed. I think that if you've lived enough that there will always be memories that haunt you. I started noticing that in my twenties. And if you spend a lot of time alone the more haunted you can become.

[oneighty]

2. I came in off the ocean on the Vicky Mary

that evening and anchored up in a creek safe from ocean storms. AS I lay there waiting for sleep I wrote this in my mind-later on paper.

Thanks for your comments. I will soon be out of poems.

Many will say yeaaaaaa!

Hee hee hee,

180

[Droopy]

3. Hell no

I love your poems. You're just going to have to write some more so you can share them with us. I haven't written a poem in about a year, but I plan on getting it together so I can post some more here. Unlike you, my poems are not of a professional grade. But at DU you're just a few clicks away from being a published author. I hope you decide to stay with the poetry group even if you do not decide to write more poetry.

[Steel City Slim]

4. I Enjoy Your Poetry

Maybe you can find some more hidden inside.

[KaliTracy]

5. once a poet, always a poet.... even if a poem hasn't been written

in years....

so says this "I haven't written in years" poet. *wan smile*


ok-- no pressure. Even if you have no inclination to write -- hope you'll pop in here once and awhile still.

[KaliTracy]

6. the progression into darkness starts subtly, and suddenly in the

end we are taken down a very dark path. Speaker has questions that are unanswered -- reader does too. Speaker doesn't need to answer the questions for the reader (it's not the speaker's obligation to do so) ... the nightmarish quality is sufficient, yet

-- what is the ghost that haunts?

[oneighty]

7. A lost love Kali

As described in 'Batten Down the Hatches Lads' as told in this poetry thread. Her name was Kazuko. I have written many words for her. Fifty years ago in June I left her. I did not keep my promise to return.

180

[JitterbugPerfume]

8. you have a Poets soul Ed

and most people only dream of being loved as Kazuko is loved