POTW

 

The dolphins seemed unfriendly

No sooner had we landed when, at a loss,
we struck out for the islands, not by airplane –
wheels on the shallows – but in the drink, again
cast off into the Med, each of us a Pangloss –
ebullience deranged –sailing for Paxos,
island of the  shotgun, Easter rain
whose white chalk gullies and a firefly lane
lit us home through the olive alleys, moss.

O’Hara was right to remind us of Pan,
the great god Pan, last seen somewhere near
the isthmus maybe down from Ithaca,
in the sparseness of the Archipelago:
I have to go there, but the boat’s tossed so, I can
not swim a stroke: the dolphins, oh! the medusae approach.



O’Hara was right to remind us of Pan

I am happy to have Poem of the Week on writeoutloud this week The dolphins seemed unfriendly, with accompanying picture of Pan. This is my second POTW and by coincidence both conjure boat trips and Greek islands.  My deep thanks for a terrific clout on the back from this week’s choosing editor, and I quote:  

“… master-class that drops us in the Med, talks of Paxos and Pan, and is delivered with the unfettered imagination and skill of a true poet. A beautiful piece of writing sure to transport you the way only poetry can…” 

The great grin of cheese.  I also have a poem in The Journal this summer, The videographer’s picnic.  (-: