Since the first poem has a nautical theme, I chose
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot as music for this page
The midi isn't as haunting as the original, but it's the only version I've found online.
If you find a better version, PLEASE e-mail me with the site address!!!
Untitled Sea Poem
"Look overhead"
The captain said
And pointed he then to the sky
The moon, curious thing
Had a silvery ring
And appeared as a cataract'd eye
"Cloudy moon" copyright March 2004 by D. Emmons
The waves, how they tossed
And the bo'sun was lost
As the sky ope' and thundered down rain
The brave captain cried
As his loyal men died
While the ship bucked, then bucked again
"You'll not take my ship"
The brave captain quipped
And shook his fist at the sky
But he fell 'neath the shock
As his craft met with rock
And the ship shuddered, broken, and died
The legend is told
Of the men, brave and bold
Who went off to sea, there to die
When the moon, curious thing,
Had a silvery ring
And appeared as a cataract'd eye
This was written for a spring contest in The Pequawket Valley News
It won! ($10 *grin*)
Daddy
My eyes close tight against the tears
As memories flood my mind
I try to ignore the pain-filled loss
Of my father, so warm, so kind
My heart fills up with pain, not joy
As the memories take me away
I fight within, I hide my grief
Not listening to what others say
A gentle voice, a dear friend's touch
Someone says "This way is best."
Perhaps it was good that he passed away
In the morning, at peace and at rest
But I fight against the help-filled hands
I curse the morning sun
That rose to find my father dead
At only fifty-one
(undated photo of Robert L. Dow, whom the poem is about)
He fought a murderous cancer
For a year-and-a-half, you see
"He's now with God", or so I say
And wish it had been me
For I remember, still, his smiling face
And that very special day
That, though his body suffered much
He still had time to pray
I think once more, remembering him
And soon my eyes will fill
I swallow hard and softly say
"Oh Dad, I love you still."
My Mother's Hands
When just a babe, who wiped me clean,
Who soothed away each fright'ning dream,
And taught me what that "no" word means?
- My mother's patient hands
Skinned up knees and runny nose,
Broken fingers and bruised toes,
Who helped me overcome all those?
- My mother's healing hands
And when my busy day was through
Who showed me just what I should do,
And taught me, God, to pray to you?
- My mother's faithful hands
And now that I'm a woman grown
And have a "baby" of my own,
I hope to pass on what I've known
- From my mother's loving hands
"Cloudy moon" copyright March 2004 by D. Emmons The waves, how they tossed And the bo'sun was lost As the sky ope' and thundered down rain The brave captain cried As his loyal men died While the ship bucked, then bucked again "You'll not take my ship" The brave captain quipped And shook his fist at the sky But he fell 'neath the shock As his craft met with rock And the ship shuddered, broken, and died The legend is told Of the men, brave and bold Who went off to sea, there to die When the moon, curious thing, Had a silvery ring And appeared as a cataract'd eye
(undated photo of Robert L. Dow, whom the poem is about)
He fought a murderous cancer
For a year-and-a-half, you see
"He's now with God", or so I say
And wish it had been me
For I remember, still, his smiling face
And that very special day
That, though his body suffered much
He still had time to pray
I think once more, remembering him
And soon my eyes will fill
I swallow hard and softly say
"Oh Dad, I love you still."
