Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Sunday 3 March 2013

Epitaph





Epitaph

Here lies one who drowned in bitter tears,
Weighed down by sorrows, grief and fears.
Her stormy life a shipwreck of emotions,
A sea of troubles, and abstracted oceans.

Twice drown’d; in real time on the day,
And then once more in memory’s replay.
Tempestuous loves and stormy lovers,
A raft of heartaches from which none recovers.

Dragged down by torments and by tangled hair,
She opens wide her mouth and breathes no air,
Instead succumbs to soothing waves of balm,
And offers up her soul, and now is calm.

©Marilyn Brindley

Submitted to Tess Kincaid's 'The Mag' where the image above, by 'The Fox and The Raven' was given to us  as a prompt. 



For those who are interested in such things, here are the references , mostly from Shakespeare.

“She is drown’d already sir, with salt water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again with more.”
(Sebastian, Twelfth Night: Act 2, Scene 1 by William Shakespeare)

“Alas, poor duke, the task he undertakes
Is numb’ring sands and drinking oceans dry.”
(Green, King Richard II :Act 2, Scene 2)

“To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles.”
(Hamlet: Act 3,Scene 1)


23 comments:

  1. The sea is large.
    The sea must know more than any of us.

    Carl Sandburg

    ReplyDelete
  2. I must go down to the sea again,
    to the lonely sea and the sky;
    I left my shoes and socks there -
    I wonder if they're dry?
    Spike Milligan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a gem of a reply! LOL

      Delete
    2. Thank you Mike! Always good to know that one's earnest and heartfelt poem about a tormented soul who takes her own life, can evoke a humorous response! Shouldn't this parody of Masefield's great poem be on my previous post - The Box of Delights?

      Delete
  3. A good poem but a chilling image, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I used to think drowning is such a chaotic aggressive act of defiance. Now in poetry, I see it ends in quiet acceptance. Well done, Nell...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love the Shakespearean treatment, Nell.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh my your words bring such a sense of deep longing. As only one truly in love can travel, invited or not, through past times remembered, stormy or not. Yet, just in time she finds safe harbor.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Her stormy life a shipwreck of emotions,
    A sea of troubles, and abstracted oceans.

    Great watery images and I loved the word 'abstracted' used here.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It has a wonderful Shakespearean feel about it - especially the line about being "Twice drown's" - but with the wonderful modern illusion of real time.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Raw... a piece that evokes emotions for a woman lost in her sadness, very well mastered.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is felt... and I love the glimmer of hope in the end.

    ReplyDelete
  11. After such a stormy life, she deserves to at last rest in peace and calm. Love the touches from Shakespeare...

    ReplyDelete
  12. A raft of heat ache! boy that is a lot and a good description ,thanks

    ReplyDelete
  13. nicely done and thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  14. Twice drown’d; in real time on the day,
    And then once more in memory’s replay.
    Tempestuous loves and stormy lovers,
    A raft of heartaches from which none recovers

    Personal tragedy and lots of sufferings in pursuing happiness in life. Often a common picture that many had to go through. Clever word-craft Marilyn!

    Hank

    ReplyDelete
  15. Took my breath away - that's for sure! Fantastic poem.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I enjoyed the searing darkness and overwhelming sense of despair in this, Nell

    ReplyDelete
  17. Nicely done. Especially liked the raft of heartaches from which none recovers.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yes, that fits quite a few characters, both Shakespearian and, sadly, real people. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Very nice Shakespearean twist...

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.