This Poem was Submitted By: James C. Horak On Date: 2006-01-11 05:54:58 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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The Fan Tail, The Dog Watch, and Bliss

It's called that, the dog watch... Earliest morn, when the slight shudder      So near at hand, of the screw,             Lunging the ship        While droning its vast hulk. The time Conrad's deepest dark,   Melville's journals, tales of     Monster Gracken, Russel's   Aborigine on a raft...      Come out to play. Over the side, slight splash,             The dolphin play.    I imagine false bottoms,      Lighted cities, visiting   Jules Verne might think. Loneness, never.   I am well kept.    

Copyright © January 2006 James C. Horak

Additional Notes:
The Pacific cruise, I remember it like yesterday.


This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Andrew Hislop On Date: 2006-02-06 14:00:53
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.71429
JCH Funny, I was going to say what a "realistic" quality it had to it, when I read the bottom note. Makes sense. I just enjoyed this. Don't ask me why. That's just how it is. MAH


This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2006-02-04 11:21:15
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.10526
Was that a Navy thing or civilian? i did my time in the RCAF and some in the USA so I am not really familiar with "watches" per se. Jules Verne already knew what the bottom was like, after all he did write about fathoms. One is not lonely if one can read ... so true. Unfortunately I have upcoming cataract surgery (or should I say fortunately) so that I'll be able to read. I was intrigued by the title which drew me into this neat piece.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2006-02-04 02:51:24
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.33333
James, I use to boat [21' Bayliner] a bit in the San Juan Islands [near Seattle and in the Pacific fishing/Astoria[32' bayliner] And boy it can get scary! Especially if your ignorant of the Tides! Bought lost our lives a few times.'Lost in the fog with 50 miles out! Anyway I like rivers/Columbia/Snake far better. [although they btrew up trouble too] I like seeing land! I have the greatest respect for the deep. I know what you mean about not being alone, in your imagination you can think of many things... I like the rivers when they are calm as glass.[noone around] I've not ever cruised. Sounds like it was lovely.[bigggggggg boat] dog watch, lunging ship good imagery. Nice going on your trip, [a bit] Love your world through your eyes. Dellena
This Poem was Critiqued By: Thomas Edward Wright On Date: 2006-01-15 17:34:58
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
As we are of, from, and with the sea, Your poem is a wave, a cloud, a ship Running downwind headed only into time's Unknown waters.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2006-01-13 07:32:44
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Indeed a cruise well written about poet.....brings back memories of letters sent home by my husband as he too sailed the seas with the United States Coast Guard.......he would write home about those watches, the dolphins they would come across and perhaps once in awhile a school of sharks.....perhaps some other larger fish I do not recall at this moment in time.......for most of the time though Steve was below ship tending the boilers...he would write home of the beautiful sunsets and sunrises....he would write home of the storms they met at sea and how the ship would twist one way then another.....rescue missions, friends off to war , death, and mail call....He was just twenty then and I am certain he too allowed his imagination to bring him to far off places that no one travelled for a long long time. Thanks for sharing this with us....good structure, word flow , brings forth images as one reads along and memories that have been tucked in the lining of my heart for many years now......God Bless, Claire
This Poem was Critiqued By: Thomas H. Smihula On Date: 2006-01-12 10:17:15
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.20000
You have given me the thought once again while upon ships at sea hoping to enter a harbor, or see the life that tails alongside the ship, maybe the mysteries that lie beneath. I am an old seaman from during the VietNam years, made many line trips and had the dog watch on many ocasions. You hit a chord for me and recently I experienced this love of sailing when my wife and grandson went with me on the Hawaii cruise island hop while riding the NCL Pride of Aloha. Little storms were present, dreams of years past, a sense of feeling not alone but complete yet so small. Your piece conveys the thought very well and the length perfect for a poem of this focus. Well done and a joy to read. Structure was also appropriate giving the reader facets of sailing.
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