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Open Poetry #27
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In Rhythms of Poe
| Open Poetry #27 |
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In Rhythms of Poe |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania 
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In Rhythms of Poe Moon defines the lore of crescents, mythic tale andmystic essence Wrapped in stories handed down among the fishers of the sea There below, an ocean goddess, laced with pearls upon her bodice Has been sung by the most modest, modestmen of fantasy This must be a fairy goddess, visions of a fantasy Dreams of men who sail the sea It is she who marks the measure, of the bounty’s sea born treasure Once the golden fisher nets are cast into the untamed sea Well before the day is dawning, morning star is gently spawning Twinkling ripples like an awning, o’er the depths of ecstasy Sometimes clear and sometimes daunting, depths of fear or ecstasy Home to goddess of the sea Songs and legends so entrancing, heartbeats fluttering and dancing At the rituals to summon lovely goddess of the sea Gifts of beauty, jewels and flowers, offered to appease her powers From the poor the golden dowers, dowers ceremoniously Offered in the darkest hours, given ceremoniously To the mermaid bride at sea She is queen of all the waters, home of whale and eel and otters Lakes and rivers, stream and ocean, realms that house her entity Calling her from distant beaches, chants of old soar to the reaches Where the African man preaches, preaches of the queen at sea Humbly his voice beseeches bounty for the boats at sea Echoes heard so distantly Mermaid, come and show your presence, to these hearty sea bound peasants Who will risk their lives to reap the glorious flowers of the sea Suddenly the sign is given, through a woman quakes are driven From her quiet posture riven to a trance precursory Of a rhythmic dance that’s driven by the rhythms of the sea Steady rhythms of the sea Now the queen is gathering wishes, prayers for laden nets of fishes Harvesting the gifts bestowed upon a goddess such as she Surely she’ll protect the daring, those who leave their loved ones caring Waiting for the brave sea faring midnight fishers to be free From the roaring ocean sparing not one soul respectfully Such is ocean’s devilry I, a stranger, stood observing, what tradition was preserving That in poverty a man would cast his life into the sea Family heirlooms deeply cherished, into salty brine would perish Such a doom no soul would e’er wish for a treasure’s destiny What a doom for family’s cherished gold to meet such destiny Cast into a spiteful sea Why so many hearts enraptured? Never seen and never captured Carved into the architecture is this icon of the sea Just a figure so bewitching, threads of yemanja are stitching Through a culture so enriching music, art and poetry Just a mermaid so bewitching, that she seems a fantasy Fisherman’s reality I can hear the rhythms beating, chanting lyrics so entreating In my mind the words repeating, swirling in my memory Intuition was devoured in a song that overpowered All the thoughts that never flowered, knowing what was meant to be I could not control the power that was overcoming me “Twas the goddess of the sea As I sat dismayed and lonely, On that night I was the only Soul beneath an equatorial moon that shone so splendidly Orange moon reflected brightly, and displayed its image nightly On the ocean’s crest it sprightly danced and danced in mirrored glee It was just a moon that glazed the surface of a rising sea No one there, just moon and me In the night I felt no danger, for I’ve been in places stranger That a lonely beach illuminated by God’s revelry Than I heard an angel singing, Notes so wondrously were ringing Floating o’er the waves and bringing solace, joy and peace to me Lovely anthems, calling, ringing, ringing out my name to me Just the whisper of the sea Louder grew the voice of pleading, telling me my heart was bleeding And my soul has long been needing to be bathed in ecstasy “Step into the ocean fringes, tropic sun your paleness singes Not a man nor beast infringes in the vastness of the sea All the tidal power hinges on the moon entrancing me Come into the soothing sea” So I swam into her glory, thus begins the dreadful story Of a girl who wandered into realms not meant for you and me In the currents I was drifting as the tides were slowly shifting Undertows were sinking, lifting, carrying my dignity For a simple song was lifting some one to her destiny ‘Twas the goddess of the sea Crashing waves were ripping, tearing, at the garments I was wearing Undertows that were not sparing life or limb in terror’s spree Tugging arm from shoulder’s socket, not a token in my pocket Not a coin was in my pocket to appease a deity Then I grasped the golden locket, many years a part of me Broke the chain and set it free Down it floated through the fathoms, into oceans deepest chasms And I sobbed as I was fighting to defeat the wicked sea Someone’s hand was gently holding, in her palm my hand enfolding Leading me to mounds of golden heirloom jewelry in the sea Currents carried all the golden bits of family jewelry To a cavern in the sea All the gifts the peasants offer, weight to fill a royal coffer Ocean’s queen retuning now the heirlooms where they’re meant to be Then a chain was brightly beaming, in the tropic waters gleaming Golden bracelet somehow seeming, token present meant for me Quickly did I grasp the golden bracelet that was meant for me A lovely bracelet from the sea For survival I was grasping, on the surface loudly gasping Swimming wildly in the waters that had calmed dramatically Ocean now was smooth and calm, I crawled beneath a coconut palm And there I rested in the balm of ocean breezes touching me My eyes looked downward to my palm, which held the secrets of the sea And solved an ageless mystery In the golden band engraving was a secret she was saving This one question she was craving to unveil and set it free Vanished there forevermore, into a place not known before And yet unknown the nevermore of that which wasn’t meant to be So finely etched, the name “Lenore” has rested in the foamy sea No one knows, but only me Hear the angel voice, a goddess, laced with pearls upon her bodice Here we sit and ponder all the gold cast into fisher’s sea The ocean queen, Lenore and me Elizabeth Santos |
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| © Copyright 2003 Elizabeth Santos - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Tim Senior Member
since 1999-06-08
Posts 1794 |
Bravo... |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I'll be back for the epic! I've little ones hugging my ankles, begging for breakfast! |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Elizabeth, And this my dear an epopee. |
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
Liz..this is a masterpiece dear lady! Bravo..very beautifully penned. Good to read you here this morn. ~Smiles & Hugs, Nancy~ ~The breeze that kissed you on the face, |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I came back.  And glad am I!I hope this is read, and read, and read...aloud! The cadence shifts just like the surf and waves...the story threads itself from one line to another...you've captured the write of Poe with a seemingly effortless talent. I would ask how long this took to write - but we never give up our secrets easily, do we, Lady S? This...is a treasure, AND a  |
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peppermint35 Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1106Texas, USA |
Standing ovation  Pepper |
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vandana
since 1999-10-22
Posts 10463USA |
enjoyed |
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PKreturns Member
since 2003-07-21
Posts 362New Orleans, LA |
This is the best thing I have read in a long long time. I am a HUGE fan of Poe. |
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2dalimit Member Elite
since 2000-02-08
Posts 2228Mississippi coast |
Since I made my living from the sea for almost twenty years, I really enjoyed this poetic story. I have saved it, printed it and plan on sharing it with my friends. Thank you. Melton |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Liz It is an honor to read this. Indeed it is an epopee! |
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Mysteria 
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Knowing you I almost want to answer Sunshine's question and tell her you can write these things with your eyes closed in about 5 minutes. However, this time me thinks this one took at least 10 minutes right? Ah but you were thinkig of our friend at the library with the crow in the cage and this inspired you right? Or shall I guess again? In any event, nice to see you here finally - it's about darn time, BUT it was well worth the wait for this beauty Lizzie. |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
Tim, You honor me Sunshine, I don't know how long it took - as long as it takes me to type. Thanks dear for your lovely remarks Sy, Oh, master poet, thank you for your kind words. Warm greetings to you Nancy, Thank you. Your words are like a warm embrace Peppermint, You are so kind, Thanks Vandana,Thank you, dear poetess from India PKreturns, Your comment is very generous, thank you Melton, YOu may be interested to know that the first 10 verses to this poem are true, based on religious traditions in the port of Salvador and along the coast of brazil in the state of Bahia. The goddess Yemanja ia the head goddess among all saints in this rich culture which was brought from Africa centuries ago. Many fishermen are lost at sea due to the old methods of fishing, on small sailing rafts. They fish alone or in groups of sixty men. and when they pull in the nets onto the beach, it is to the rhythms of old African chants, quite a wondrous sight.. Marty, Hi, stranger, and sweet poetess. I'm too long out of touch. Think about you often Mysteria, Thank you, dear, you know this was my first draft, I will go back and make the ending verses stronger, but it was written beginning to end nonstop. Will be in touch. HUgs and kisses Liz |
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Krawdad Member Elite
since 2001-01-03
Posts 2597 |
WOW I'm impressed! And as quickly as you could type? You have Poe beat by a mile. (Well, ok, he died before the typewriter was invented, but still . . .) Enjoyed! Kraw' |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Ba-da-boom. I came back...again! |
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scorpio Member Ascendant
since 2002-10-02
Posts 5178right...there |
Most exquisite poem...the flow and ebb of the words are awesome.. believe in what your heart feels... |
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Patricia Member Elite
since 2003-04-06
Posts 2160Missouri |
I am in awe. I, too, read this aloud...you certainly captured Poe's rythym perfectly. 'Tis a masterpiece! This goes into my library...incredible, simply, incredible. Patricia |
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