September 10, 2012
Monday Poem
Furthernothing is further
than a horizon
on a day at sea
storm surge nil, line beyond
the rock of swells
and slap of sea on hull
the horizon,
that crisp ring
that noose
a scalpel cut
between gray and gray
between realms
it cleaves high and low
it's a rift we never breach
but ever keep our eyes on
the edge we never reach
the prey we never snatch
a shore we never beach
a gate that’s never latched
the horizon is tight-lipped and taut
as a lute string strung from zip to zip
distant as a hoax
a hold we never grip
.
.
by Jim Culleny 9/7/12
Posted by Jim Culleny at 12:25 AM | Permalink
Comments
Jim, This is so great. I can't seem to let go reading this again and again. Thanks!
Posted by: Raza Husain | Sep 10, 2012 4:49:20 AM
...as is so much of life.
Thank you, Jim.
Posted by: Norman Costa | Sep 10, 2012 8:22:32 AM
Norman—
When I was twenty I was at sea literally and metaphorically. The horizon was both an anchor and a call.
Some things never change:
http://jimculleny.wordpress.com/dim-bulb-on-watch-—north-atlantic/
Posted by: Jim | Sep 10, 2012 8:46:41 AM
Lovely...wondering about taught (fourth line from bottom) Did you mean taut? Taught works, too
Posted by: rmk28 | Sep 10, 2012 9:01:37 AM
rmk—
Taught would have been clever, but taut is right.
Thanks.
Posted by: Jim | Sep 10, 2012 9:08:32 AM
@ Jim,
Thanks for the link to "Dim Bulb on Watch." It reminded me of two uncles (my father's side) who served aboard ship in WW-II. Uncle Paulie was in the US Navy aboard an LST (Large Slow Target.) My father's brother-in-law, Lucien, a French National, served in the US Merchant Marine Service. Twice his ship was torpedoed and sunk, and he took to a lifeboat in the North Atlantic. The third time he was aboard the Normandy in New York Harbor when it was sunk by sabotage at its pier. He fled the fire on foot off the ship.
I remember Uncle Paulie swapping war stories with Uncle Lucien. Paulie thought he had it over Lucien because Lucien never went through the Panama Canal. Paulie's LST was hit while involved in a landing operation in the Pacific. They lost a number of sailors, but saved the ship after some long and heroic fire fighting and damage control. Paulie was not in his quarters when the ship was hit. Good for him because his quarters were completely destroyed in the attack. He did his part in saving crew and saving the ship. You can imagine that when the fire fighting and other efforts were done and the ship underway, again, he was completely exhausted and found a small space where he laid down and fell asleep for many hours.
None of his bunk mates had seen or recognized him during the attack or the frenzied actions to save the ship. They assumed he was killed when his quarters were hit and blown up. When he finally woke and revived himself he set out to find the rest of his crew. He found them, alright. They were having an impromptu prayer and memorial service for him.
Lucien joined the US Merchant Marine Service so he could make his way to where he could join the Free French Army, and fight on his home soil against the Germans. Unfortunately, that was not to be.
Posted by: Norman Costa | Sep 10, 2012 10:00:46 PM
Norman—
Quite a story. My service was much less eventful —heavy seas was about it. Your uncles were lucky and brave.
Thanks for the tale.
Posted by: Jim | Sep 10, 2012 11:01:04 PM
Post a comment