Friday, April 18, 2008

Drowned Sailor repost and image



The fish are garrulous. They tell me stories,
shark-toothed rumors whispered through the kelp-
vines, hurtful. They don't feel sorry
for shipwrecked sailors waiting for help,
for rescue that never comes.
I float without volition,
like draggled feathers or a swirl of scum,
drowned messenger without a mission.
Though the unbeating heart still craves
home, my swollen limbs won't stir.
To what purpose?-- a terrestrial grave?
Decay in open water is what I'd prefer.
I want my bones to coralize. I wish
my flesh to be eaten by the gossiping fish.

Original images: toy skeleton by ollinger, coral head by Pepe


Collection available! Knocking from Inside

6 comments:

Gemma Wiseman said...

To be just "draggled feathers or a swirl of scum" - quite a graphic image well suited to the poem's comment on non surviving.

Interesting write!

Gemma

Anonymous said...

What wonderful words! I love the idea of gossiping fish, although I think I would rather eat them than the other way around!

Head Cookie said...

This was a very intriguing and descriptive post. I like it.

Anonymous said...

"I float without volition"

"Though the unbeating heart still craves
home, my swollen limbs won't stir."


What a sense of despondency those lines create..truly a non-survivor poem.

Rob Kistner said...

Wonderful imagery to float with... ;)

rebecca said...

both the picture and words were excellent....excellent! you had me from the very first line...the fish are garrulous, they tell me stories....excellent.