Swimmer
Swimming Choppy Seas
It was calm when first I set out to swim,
but then Aeolus let loose his howling
winds and waves rose. Swimming against currents,
strength nearly spent, I spied you chained to stone
and waiting as though sacrificed to some
Kraken or stormgod. Weeping, naked, you
called out against the sky, or some father
coward enough to forsake you. And I,
I could not take my eyes from you, your eyes
seafoam lightning lit and wide, your jawline
taut, defiant even in fear’s fury!
Auburn hair bound and braided, wisping free
to whip your high cheek bones as rain began,
made landfall just as I. And we escaped . . .
David M Pitchford
12 May 2008
Filed under: Xenoneoclassicist Poetry, classic paintings, creative souls, ekphrasis, fantasy, myth, nude, nudity, poem, poems, poems about paintings, poetry, poetry revolution, sex, sonnet, youth | Tagged: andromeda, ekphrasis, poems about paintings, poynter
Oh this is lovely, lovely, David, and the photo is a perfect companion. My favorite line is “your eyes seafoam lightning lit and wide.” And the last line is one all poets wish they’d written..
Sigh
Thank you, Janet. That line shot through me like a bolt of blue lightning. I was afraid it was a bit too “purple” as they say, but your opinion vindicates it.
LOL there are times I read my own poems and wish I’d written them. How’s that for goofy and ironic?
You’ve got a great voice yourself, Lady. Keep singing!
I’ve personalized - yes - but that’s part of what I do…
Treading Water
When was life calm? Not before we escaped
from everyone around us, their brooding
glances – jealousy ill-hidden in eyes
wild with want and shame and lust for our life.
I wish I could speak to them, let them know
we, too, have our storms unabated, fear
that dances in the pit of our stomachs
hoping to overcome this joy we find
wrapped in the tenuous embrace of love.
Our own Kraken follows us in shadows,
waits to sacrifice us against the rocks –
and we can be swept away in high tide
just as easily as they, but we swim
and tread water, make landfall, and escape.
You are truly as remarkable a poet as you are a person, and as wonderful a woman as you are a poet!
I loved this work. After seeing Mother2Rah’s response, I was inspired to write something in response as well…except from the Kraken’s point of view. A little weird, I know, but here it is….
KRAKEN
Once a woman of flesh and bone,
Now doomed to wander the seas alone
Looking for my next meal -
I steal
Creatures of every kind:
Dogs
Cattle
Fish
And even -
And especially -
Men and women
And ingest them into the deep crevice
They call a gut.
But
I was once as fair as that woman
Who I spied today, lashed to a cold rock,
Waiting to be engulfed into nothingness –
But a curse claimed my looks
And I became a monster
Long before this world began.
I swam
Towards the woman,
Who still pulling against her chains,
Her tears mixing with the cold rain,
Was still alive (I usually like my meals warm);
But before I could wrap my tentacles around her
And rejoice at finding my lunch,
She was stolen away by another,
A man whose heart was bowed toward her
By reason of her tears and chains.
Defeated, I swam away -
Sulked away -
Still hungry and
Still holding burning jealous torches in my bosom
For the beauty I once had.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing. I like the story it tells.
[...] This was inspired by a poem on David Pitchford’s blog entitled “Swimmer” and a response written by Mother2Rah entitled “Tread Water”. I decided to take a crack [...]
*laughter* ”
“LOL there are times I read my own poems and wish I’d written them. How’s that for goofy and ironic?”
Good one, David. Sometimes I look at my own lines and wish I hadn’t written them! How’s that for honest? hee hee
Re Mother2rah response poem:
What David said.
Ahh, the first part..ending with person..;>
“your eyes seafoam lightning lit and wide…”
just beautiful.