Pages

Tuesday 16 November 2010

Robbers Bay: A Poem by Pete Marshall



Robbers Bay
by Pete Marshall


The sunset burned the Autumn sky
as waves would lap a gentle sway
that rocked the berth of one's desire
alone she moored in Robbers bay
and legend told of love that passed
that sailed the lake in summers heat
when boats would glide across the mere
and hearts would dance a merry beat.

But storms would come as waves would rise
and mar the blues of darkened skies
that played a song, a maudlin weep
as truth was told in eyes that seek
and on that day her love was spurned
as two would fall and one return
and from the deep she'd clasp for air
and mourn the one who brought despair.

The trees that stood in silent peace
had watched the flow of centuries played
this eve they watched a broken heart
that chose to act the legends play
and as she fell beneath the blue
the ripples softly spread afar
as breath would leave a broken soul
the boat would float beneath the stars.

********************

A few weeks ago I wrote a poem, The Estuary, which featured artwork by a local artist, Donna Cove. Tonight's poem has, again, been inspired by her pastel drawings. 

This picture was called Robbers Bay, a name she admits, she plucked from the air, but the image, a lonely boat, the burning sunset and deep blues, coupled with its title, inspired myself to write a tragic love story. I hope you enjoy not only my poem but also the wonderful art of Donna Cove

This poem has also been entered into One Shot Wednesday, part of One Stop Poetry, a place which celebrates both new & old poetry alike. If you would like to participate in One Shot Wednesday it opens 10pm UK, 5pm EST every Tuesday night and remains open all through Wednesday, closing Thursday morning

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

tourtered,beautiful and romantic...lovely combination of word and art.

Unknown said...

Very powerful & calm.... I loved it.

anthonynorth said...

Such great atmospheric imagery in this.

hedgewitch said...

Rhyme usually makes a poem read very pat, whatever else it may do, but here every couplet had a less obvious element, a hidden extra in the turn of phrase. You do this a lot and it always pleases my sense of order as it provokes me to dig a little deeper under what appears quite obvious. This is not a poem to catch with a quick read. Liked it, as you may be able to tell...and the art as well.

stryka66 said...

great work - beautifully described

Steve Isaak said...

Solid, nature-imagery work. :)

Whitesnake said...

I liked the combinations. Bit like a fine dining actually!

libithina said...

'the ripples softly spread afar
as breath would leave a broken soul
the boat would float beneath the stars' .. ah, such imagery !! paints another stunning picture of the boat floating 'beneath the stars' .. calmly under a dark midnight sky silver clad .. evidence of the pain, sadness and tortured 'broken soul' that had gone before .. dissipates without a trace .. swallowed up into the deep dark night .. full flavoured romance .. loved the rhyme and flow of this word art .. had an air of pre raphaelite ~
and Rosetti charm
~ Lib ~

TALON said...

The gorgeous rhythm and rhyme of your work never fails to impress me and the words just flow so well...and take me right in the places you so beautifully describe.

Monkey Man said...

Love the flow and the sad imagery. While inspired by the illustration, it holds its own without.

Hope said...

beautiful piece! love the painting

thank you

Teresa said...

The artwork is wonderful, and your poem is perfect for the story behind the painting! I love this.

River said...

The flow in this piece is outstanding. Thanks for the great read. :)

Beachanny said...

Truly poetic. Yes you did in 24 lines what Dreiser needed a novel to say in An American Tragedy and though the tales were an ocean apart I could sense the same tearing and ache. Nice turn in the ending Pete. "ripples softly spread as far as breath would leave"
Again well done! Thanks, Gay @beachanny

Caty said...

the picture and this poem are beautiful. what a tragic and well written love story

ninotaziz said...

Pete,
I love the closely woven imagery between nature and emotions. Infact, isn't it natural for our hearts to mirror the mood of the skies, the waves, the day?
Lovely, Pete, as tragedies can be lovely - heart-wrenching.

Anonymous said...

So very romantic and effective

signed...bkm said...

can feel the emotion and sense of the bay, the torment of love lost and the release in the last stanza swallowed by the sea...powerful ..bkm

Katherine Krige said...

I think this was my favourite tonight. Beautiful image and imagery, sad but achingly perfect.

Anonymous said...

wow! how beautifully tragic and romantic...really nice flow and imagery...loved it!

Anonymous said...

I did enjoy this. Thanks.

All the best, Boonie

Gabriela Abalo said...

I love the way you paint with words!

"The trees that stood in silent peace had watched the flow of centuries played this eve..." - sad but so tender

:)

tuberider said...

Very cool poem. It also evoked the sensation of floating on a boat for me. It was also nostalgic for a time gone by. Well done.

George Pappas said...

Terrific poem. Beautiful imagery. "as breath would leave a broken soul
the boat would float beneath the stars"...very haunting...Great one shot...

Anita Magdalena said...

A captivating picture your words paint. An enchanting poem.

Anita.

Asobime said...

Lovely, lovely...it's a particular challenge for most of us to write in rhyme, but you did it so well!

A thoroughly satisfying verse, and the marriage of pastel and poem is excellent!

Lady Nyo

Brian Miller said...

wow. great one shot pete...love the pic aand what you did with it...

Christine Ramsay said...

A very poignant and beautifully written poem. I always love the rhythm you use in your work.

Christine

haisley said...

Hi Pete!!!
I really love the picture....and coarse your poem..... very well said

The Exception said...

I would love to hear this work read - The images are strong, the flow is wonderful, and I felt the emotions. It reminded me of seaside Irish pubs with Peet fires and older folks telling tales to those who care to listen on long winter nights.
Wonderful.

heartspell said...

This one flows like the gentle waves and the boats become human, sad and tragic. Such a great read!

Bubba said...

I found myself wanting to hear "Robbers Bay" repeated in each stanza - like Poe did with "Annabel Lee" - to lend a bit of myth to the title.

Nice One Shot, Pete!

Adam Common, Poet said...

Tweeting this bad boy right now. Brilliant.

Myrna R. said...

A sad tale told in such a rich combination of words. I felt I could see the bay, even without the picture. However, the painting is also lovely.

Chris G. said...

Beautiful rhythm and flow--masterful description, and a wonderful interpretation of the drawing put before us. Lovely image work here, Pete!

Shashidhar Sharma said...

Dear Pete

Your play with words triggered by an image is perfect.. you fill the gaps in the painting and the painting fills the color of your words.. a great collaboration.. I loved it.

ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Twitter: @VerseEveryDay
Blog: http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com

Shadiatique said...

This is so good. The words are so powerful and maked me to read it more than once.

Stunning one shot.

S.

SuziCate said...

trees that stood in silent peace, i like that.

Claudia said...

wow pete - this was like entering a boat and having all this emotions first hand..the love, the broken heart, the storm rage
great poem matching with a great pic

Anonymous said...

Very skillfully narrated, Pete!!
Romantic and tragic... a killer combo for great poetry!!
Love eventually finds it way.. thankfully! Be it this life or ..

A beautiful tale, my friend.. Kudos to your imagery!

June_Butterfly said...

Tragic!Yet,beautiful!Romantic .Yet,painful!

The artwork is just amazing!

A deep one shot!

Timoteo said...

Hey Pete,
I could entertain the thought that the painting could have been inspired by your poem, (though I know it's the other way around) as they so suit one other!

Heather Grace Stewart said...

Excellent rhythm; vivid imagery--just awesome. I hope you'll set it to music some day (check out the Canadian Gaelic rooted band Great Big Sea, their music is all written like this).

Carrie Van Horn said...

Pete you have a beautiful way with rhyme and words...this is amazing! :-)

KB said...

Loving the art and the poem. Nice One Shot, Pete.

Marshy said...

thanks everyone for those wonderful comments...Eric I loved what you said...and the more i think about it the more i reckon it would have worked....cheers all Pete

Helena Malheur said...

beautifully written -- magnificent imagery as always... a pleasure to read.