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| image from Magpie Tales of: People of Chilmark, Thomas Hart Benton, 1920 |
First the rowers promised speed and smooth flowing
They argued about cover and secrecy
The wind was light, the sea glass, clean running
No pursuit, no threat: victory assured
Second the seagulls swing across the sky
Dropping fish pieces, seaweed and draggly feathers
The players dodge the bombardment, alarmed
Keeping watch aft, searching
Third the waves mount, frustration piling
Toss barque and fling canvas awry
The players cling to the gunwales shrieking the wind
Machine-man, thief, sinner, thought
Fourth the gods shout and mount thunder clouds
Spear lightning and shaft rain
They’ve taken the World! Give back our Globe!
Hurl skywards and seawards men
Fifth, Zeus spinning notion, takes scissors
Fate the wire, floundering, now panic-gripped
The edge veering, the sea-mountains
Darkness, game played and lost
thanks to Tess for the prompt. For more Magpie Tales see here
