We Who Are Standing

We Who Are Standing

We who are standing feel the water drift through,
and above our ankles in the cleansing lavatory of the sea.
There is an assortment of skulls that rattle
around our feet, but they do not rattle when we walk,
so we say nothing, only feel,
only wish the skeletons a peaceful surrender.
We surrender also, not when the time is right,
not even by our own intentions, but as surprised children.
We who are standing feel the full stroke of the sun
flow with ribs of air into morning.
It is beautiful, the way the ocean pretends to be sleeping.
It is beautiful when the ocean flings a storm or pouts
in a muffled roar of waves that crash the rocks.
She is searching for the turtle eggs that belong to her.
She is ridding herself of the barges that have stayed
too long at sea, gutting themselves at her expense.
But for now, we are standing and transcending
foam fingers and shifting sand.
enmeshed in intersections and intricate designs
We are busy in the vivid sunburst and her change of hues.
She flings the fishes high moment by moment.
They leap in the sunlight of naked blue.

Reviews

[Ed Hart]

you know I dearly love your poetry...and this one has great merit...but I believe this poem is one that you and your muse wrote and posted quickly....I suggest that "lavatory" of the sea does not well represent the cleansing image you were reaching for...also I think the "stroke" of the sun flowing with "ribs" of air is not up to the standard of excellence and diamond-faceted brilliance that is common to the regularly posted productions of your heart....

[Doctor JKC]

"in the cleansing lavatory of the sea."
What a line! And there are so many more.

"She is searching for the turtle eggs that belong to her."
This reminds me of the Sanskrit word, "drushti", which
means the kind of mysterious sight/knowing a mother turtle has for it's young
where ever they may be.

A glorious poem!
Jack

[Eagle Cruagh]

This is an exciting ode to the sea.

You paint her and describe her actions ,
even her emotions and how she reaches
out to us.
Treat her well and she will please.

Beautiful !

My rating --- 100 %

------Eagle Cruagh

[miSS LEaf]

thank you, that's all i can say, for giving me yet another wonderful read :) ~Miss Leaf

[cest la vie]

We are busy in the vivid sunburst and her change of hues.
She flings the fishes high moment by moment.
They leap in the sunlight of naked blue.

What a wonderful verse! truly a fabulous piece. Well done!

[W.k.kortas]

Thematically, it's reminiscent of the work of some of the Romantic heavyweights--Byron, Coleridge, people like that--but the language is all modern (say, James Dickey in Venablese). It is completely deserving of every bit of praise it has received to this point.

[deeps]

This is such a beuatiful and wonderful write
Enjoyable read

[Emily B]

oh, Phibby, this is so beautiful. The kind of words I want to gather in my lap and visit with awhile.

[Pancole's Jelly Bean]

Wow, that's all I can say right now.