Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Grimlett Island



they say in the inlet’s sandy shoals
a wet little island rides the tides
where legend recalls a man’s repose
deeper than where the ghost crabs hide

his ship with weather-stained canvas sails
tossed in the churn between withered lands
his orders snapped like his waistcoat’s tails
until heaved and marooned by all plotting hands

he swam to the island and paced twelve strides
drenched with showers of blowing spray
so high was the nighttime’s hungry tide
he dared not hope to see the day

but one morning stretched to two and more
and thirst began cracking his salty throat
he decided to dig until his fingers tore
and seams ripped open his decaying coat

down he lay as the waters flowed
seabirds soaring over his drowsing head
until rising seas made his hole erode
his two last achievements--buried and dead


(Inspired on the ferry ride today between Hatteras and Ocracoke Island.)

8 comments:

the walking man said...

Loved it! 100% perfect piece of iambic storytelling. If I go further it would be gushing so I will stop with what i said already.

Dr. Cheryl Carvajal said...

Fantastic images. Wow!

Lee said...

"his decaying coat" was foretelling.

Geraldine said...

this is excellent Jason, you were certainly inspired by the trip!

Christina said...

fantastic images
=====
non voice projects

SzélsőFa said...

it must have been one unpleasant ride... but what a great product!
(after having read the walking man's comment i re-read and found the metric, too. wow.)
there are certain experiences that call for an old fashioned display.. aren't they? i mean rhyme and metric and balladistic tone and all...

Scribblers Inc said...

Grim! Reminded me of a short story by Stephen King, where a guy gets marooned on an island.
By the by, I am trying out a new form of poetry for my blog. I have christened it Shocketry or Shocking Poetry. I would love it if you could check it out and honored if you do one yourself! :)

wishes
Scribblers Inc.

Anonymous said...

Walking Man, you don't gush often, so I take it as a very high compliment.

Shakespeare, thanks!

Lee, indeed. ;)

Geraldine, it's hard not to be inspired there.

Christina, much appreciated.

Szelsofa, it was pleasant, but I listen to those glimmers of images that scene give me. This was what I saw there.

Scribblers, thank you for the kind words! I will defintely come over to check out your site.