The Shores of the North

Old battles remain in our minds as ghosts with ships on the seas of time keep coming back to us through waves of reflective thoughts.

The Shores of the North

 

Walking along the marshes

Of the waterfront

A sandbar out about five feet

My toes in the grit of the colored particles

My eyes close to dream about

Another time

All those battles on the waters

Of this land

Ships of the French, and some of them

British

And the ghosts of them

Had the cannons booming

With flags on the crafts

Blowing in the winds

Their bursts of fire

Paint the skies

As smoke billows with the currents

The shallows contain dead bodies

Washed up with the tides

Pebbles and leaves on their coats

Moss mixed with the salt water in their hair

From the depths

Comes the stone crabs to pick at them

There is no mercy for them as they

Seek the staring dead eyes of these men

Dry bones collect on the distant shores without

A sought treasure

An island near has pink shells instead

And is wild with natural debris in the sea grasses

My toes feel something sharp

And I come to

Forgetting the pain of this daydream

In a cove of sadness. --J. E. Cook ©2017

Author's Note

Thank you for reading!

Reviews

[Carol Cashes]

This reads as a historical accounting of the battles as well as a tribute to those who lost their lives. The telling of the aftermath, the vivid descriptions of corpses and the crabs who desire them is stark, and real, and drives home the real cost of "battle". Well written.

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

Thank you, Carol!
:)

[Jes' Pi]

The title suits the poem and the poem suits the title.
The words were cruel and soft, bloody and dry.
I liked it.
100/100

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

Thanks, Jes'Pi!

[Tracey~]

You painted a very clear picture in my head.. well done.. xo

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

Thanks, Tracey!
:)

[Coyote Poetry]

You took me with you dear Josie. I could feel the sea and the thoughts in your words. Thank you Josie for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

You're welcome! Thanks for reviewing this one!
:)

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed this one dear Josie and you are welcome.

[Sami Khalil]

Dreamily sad and eerily scary of reality. The battles are raging in our minds and the victims are counted...Excellent, Josie...:).......

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

Thank you, Sami!
:)

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome. Any time...:)................