Minke whales, surface and dive
massive baleen lined mouths filter out food
our boat keeps its distance
The water from the blow hole spewed.
It’s hard to believe what then ensued.
With his powerful tail and massive speed,
The great humpback whale’s breaching was awesome to see.
Once a whale spent a day at the beach,
eating one too many pies of peach.
Became bloated in the sun,
to a weight over a tonne,
now has an itch she can't bend to reach
Image #5
Over calm seas the sun does rise
Far away and seeming so small
Truth is where our perspective lies
Over calm seas
One of the largest of them all;
Sea creature with bandits disguise
The sun balancing like a ball
So deceived by fallible eyes
This whale makes the sun rise and fall
Painting red, orange, yellow skies
Over calm seas
Inspired by image #1
"Did you know Orcas can live 70 - 100 years."
National Geographic
_______________________________
An Orca leaps the water glassed,
a sweet scene in the sunrise bliss;
O, experience unsurpassed,
an Orca leaps. .
He wished to give the sun a kiss,
leaving the boat viewers aghast;
experience to reminisce.
With sharp teeth- a killer whale classed,
then, he sinks into the abyss;
these beautiful creatures swim fast,
an Orca leaps . . .
long days and nights upon this blue
my best attempts to speak with you
and still my studies can’t construe
the basics of your tongue
but oh the songs you’ve sung!
we humans think we’re grand design
but what I’ve learned from language, thine
it’s light years more complex than mine
and twice as convoluted
the syntax, deeply rooted
no one dear song is e’er the same
you weave a tale with just your name
and in my heart, ignite this flame
to learn cetacean speech
and all your words can teach
your songs shake sweet the dark abyss
there’s not one note I care to miss
oh teach me of your jargon’s kiss
and all you know of earth
its secrets and it’s worth
forgive my species, tres naive
what we do best is kill and thieve
but there are some who still believe
that we can do some good
oh help us, if you would …
your wondrous language … could.
* This is a form I created called ‘Cinqopet’. *
The humpback whale is a musical fella
With a sonorous voice that's remarkably "mella".
He doesn't need orchestration
To cause a sensation
When he lets loose and belts out a tune a cappella.
There’s a whale in my kitchen
He wandered in through my sink
My cousin does some ’n
She is mean as the missing link
Ma says he takes Lulu’s groove
The whale laughed at Lulu’s plight
I say let the freeloader move
Asked whale to stay all night
Ode to an Orca
You are the apex predator
of the ocean.
No other sea creature can
match you.
Even the mighty great white
fears you.
Its liver one of your prime
delicacies.
You are an intelligent animal who
can adapt to any environment.
A voracious eater, you are
not selective.
Fish, seals, whales, sharks, penguins,
dolphins are prime targets.
Even boats are not immune to
your voracious attacks.
You hunt in packs, the wolves
of the sea.
Your young are taught the ways
of the pod.
This knowledge is passed from
generation to generation.
Only mankind is powerful enough
to destroy you.
Even some tribes still revere your
power and might.
It is fortunate for us you have not
developed a taste for humans-yet
One Matthew McGregory Hale
Was thought to resemble a whale.
I don't mean so large,
Nor shaped like a barge,
But spouting out words like a gale.
A blue whale spied a Yankee clipper.
First, he used his tail to flip her.
He gulped her whole, and feeling chipper,
he closed his mouth with a zipper.
It isn’t what I wanted and yet, here I am
Reluctant but obedient to the greater plan
Did my share of running, tried so hard to break free
But there is no escape… it’s all in the prophecy.
See what you get? You cannot hide.
Into the storm, over the side.
Do as you’re told, you cannot fail
Or it’s three days in the belly of the whale.
I used to be important and now just look at me.
A pawn here on a game board, a slave to destiny
Given one last mission, a message for their ears
Meant to break them down, give them ashes, give them tears.
See what you get? You cannot hide.
Into the storm, over the side.
Do as you’re told, you cannot fail
Or it’s three days in the belly of the whale.
I was told to get up, go and shout into the street
The end is quickly coming. Now, isn’t that a treat?
Is anybody listening? I’m just one lonely voice.
Here against my will to tell the world to make their choice.
See what you get? You cannot hide.
Into the storm, over the side.
Do as you’re told, you cannot fail
Or it’s three days in the belly of the whale.
Tides
Billow
The boats quake
Her sailors scream
Davy Jones' Locker
Opened its grisly maws
Who can hope for salvation?
When the devils of the whale-road
Cast down wretched tendrils of demise,
Damning poor souls to their watery grave
'Lord!'
They cry,
'Have mercy!'
'Deliver us'
'From this thunderstorm!'
As mighty sails tumble
And the cargo lose their worth
'Til the howling finally ceased
The harpy's screech now a siren's hymn
Drawing the vessels down the whale-road's stream
Mesmerising every soul, as a milk-white opal
Opening its crooked jaw, showing the void within
Birthed from fire and lust, in the bitter waters
Yet, by its breath, it filters pale light from darkness
Demon from the abyss, now clothed in angelic white
Imprinted with hieroglyphics and astral signs
Concealed by the fathomless waves from every eye
Killing every pearly soul, binding every star
Inspired by the sperm whale from the famous book Moby-Dick (whom the book is named after), and the sea giant from Manichaean cosmology.
___________________________________________________________
As I sat ...
in slight immersion
amongst a pond
of varied sprites
depth rippling tryst
trend simple reeds
in distance fair
partitioned pure
claimed by three
spartans affair
the mere sight of me
sacrificed precious lamb
midst circle of life
selective attends
their genteel swim
o'er cupped fingers
a ringless hand
begs of pleasure
this glorious realm
enriched am I
steeply blessed
the rewards of privilege
the shallow benefits
their minutia smiles
in that pond
... as I sat.
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