For POETS UNITED ~ Poetry Pantry #217 ~ Sail On Sail On ~ Strange Are The Nights ~

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Strange are the nights with visions

of gleaming fleams
piercing screams
no more cool and nestled are
sunbeam and moonbeam
in space, remember?
NO No Blaspheme” No’
one cannot swim upstream
but sink by degrees over
a period of unknown years

like King Odysseus who lost

his ship drunk without fears’
timeless oblivion
easily persuaded in pleasure sunk;
‘Stay stay ‘ keep the ship straight’
be in ‘septime firmfooted on floor
there is no door on the seas’
Pay Tribute to the Controlling Breeze
with love in the ‘heart that is free’
Sail on Sail on on ample space
‘Beware ‘the ship may drown in Tarim’
Sail on sail on ‘ ready is the harvest
of Berseem’
And I dream on of Quinquereme’

x

Comments

Sherry Blue Sky said…
Wow, Anjum, I am impressed with your knowledge of classical literature. Not surprising, I suppose, for an English teacher, but you have woven it wonderfully through this poem!!
September 7, 2014 at 10:25 PM
Laurie Kolp said…
So lyrical... & I really like: there is no door on the seas
September 7, 2014 at 10:47 PM
Anjum Wasim Dar said…
Dear Sherry Thank you I love Classical literature and like to bring in the relevant references and images in my poems where ever possible.
September 7, 2014 at 11:26 PM
Anjum Wasim Dar said…
Dear Laurie Thank you I am delighted and deeply grateful for your visit and your encouraging appreciation. Thank you so much.
September 7, 2014 at 11:27 PM
Susan said…
The allusions are to poems and battles I do not know, but I know the feeling of being on a sinking ship and have felt the poetry of it in the opening of Shakespeare's Tempest and Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner. This sleep is a turbulent one, the vision may be prescient. I like the sound, read aloud.
September 8, 2014 at 12:31 AM
Anjum Wasim Dar said…
Dear Susan Thank you Your visit is highly appreciated.The theme of this poem is 'Journey of Life' and Faith'To stay on the straight path'Our Life on the sea is controlled by the Unseen Breeze we must pay tribute to it or the ship may sink' Indeed Tempest 'the winds did sing to me' I studied the play in college and the Ancient Mariner in school.If you know Helen of Troy' then King Odyseuss was King of Itheca Greece who made the large Trojan Wooden Horse and then Troy was defeated...Quinquerime is a Hellenistic Era warship- Odysseus went on a journey and using his 'Thinking Mind' fought against dangerous odds -finally returned home after 14 years.The Movie 'Odyssey' will tell you all. It is the essence of Classical literature with Greek Mythology often referred to in Classical Poetry.
September 8, 2014 at 2:01 AM
Jennifer Wagner said…
A gleaming fleam coming at me would probably make me scream for sure. I like the classic feel to this.
September 8, 2014 at 2:56 AM
Anjum Wasim Dar said…
Thank you Poet Laundry I love Classical Mythology. It creates a deep impact in poetry and creates fantastic effective imagery full of fast paced action and sentiment.
September 8, 2014 at 5:45 AM
Brian Miller said…
hopefully we do not sink to fast and never make the voyage....quinqhereme is a cool word as well...looked it up...a galley...born on the backs of its rowers....i found an interesting connection through a list of thoroughbred names...connecting berseem and oddyseus...
September 8, 2014 at 8:50 AM
Anjum Wasim Dar said…
Mr Brian I find your poetic style unique and different-Yes we will sail to the shore Allah is Most Gracious Most Merciful-I am happy to know you looked up the words...I try to use a variety both modern and classic Thank you for your visit. I feel encouraged and honored.
September 8, 2014 at 10:58 AM
Grace said…
I like the classical cadence of the sea voyage ~
September 11, 2014 at 3:42 AM
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