umbilicus /
of this shore / and shattered fingers
like clamshells reddened
to the body of death /
to veteran-ed paralysis /
/ of beauty / the few fingers
of mist / and seas are
in pot-lids of darkness;
my hands / laboring / are ants
to the / father
sea / and the stone
/ the white breast of
/ ribbon bare-bones /
a fetus isthmus under the moon /
epicedium / peels of
muskellunge / and hominids
we sail / to wed the ocean /
in simulacrum of waves.
© 2020 lucysworks.com All Rights Reserved.
Written for the dVerse prompt:
“I’d like you to be inspired by boats. Maybe you’ve travelled by narrowboat, or taken a cruise on a big liner. Maybe you’re a kayaker, or a paddle-boarder. Maybe you built a raft as a child, or made a toy boat out of twigs and leaves. Maybe you’re a rower or a sailor. Maybe you take a ferry to work, or watch other people floating down a river. Maybe you want to write about an imaginary boat, with sails of leaves and a cargo of fairy dust. It’s up to you.”
56 responses to “epicedium to the sea”
Wonderful… I feel like your boat is one of a complete life from birth to the end.
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Thank you so much. ❤
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Awesome post, Lucy!
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Thank you!
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You’re very welcome. 🙂
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Lucy, I’m not sure I understand it all, but it is a pleasure to read. I like the dual nature of the water as sea and our birthplace from the womb.
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Thank you so much, Lisa. ❤ I wrote this more as a journey on a boat in the sea. I always like those themes of being lost, along with comparing the ocean itself to death because it is mystifying. I appreciate your feedback as always. Thank you for reading this piece.
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You are most welcome and appreciate your comment.
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With this insight of sea/death, it’s easy to understand the darkness and feeling of being lost.
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❤️❤️
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Awesome post!!💕💕
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Thank you dearly!
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Pleasure is all mine!!🤗🤗
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❤ ❤
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Your semantic field is so visceral – umbilicus, fingers, breast-bones, fetus – the body as land, encroached by the unknown sea?
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Thank you for your thoughts and feedback! 😀 You would be very correct on that final thought. That is one of the main ideas I had in mind with this piece; there is so much we do not know about the sea, it’s almost as elusive and large as the universe in some ways.
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This poem very cleverly links us to our origins as creatures of the sea – or I got that from it, at least. The sheer beauty of the words is breathtaking.
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Thank you so, so much, Ingrid. I love your analysis as well. I always like to reference creation and death in some ways, and your interpretation would fit that as well. Thank you for your kindness and thoughts. Much appreciated!
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A funeral ode to the sea… Your words are wondrously descriptive, but .I found myself looking for a glimmer of hope somewhere!.
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Thank you so much! There may not be a glimmer of hope in this poem, but hope is always there in essence. It as well depends on how you interpret this piece. 🙂
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The name of this piece is splendor. It took my breath away. I don’t want to leave the world of your words
/ ribbon bare-bones /
a fetus isthmus under the moon /
epicedium / peels of
muskellunge / and hominids
we sail / to wed the ocean /
n simulacrum of waves.
Unbelievable piece.
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Oh, G, I do not know what to say myself right now! I thank you so, so much! ❤ I am speechless and stunned; my gratitude alone would not be enough to communicate how happy I feel from your words. It’s truly an honor and I feel blessed from your kindness and praise. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.
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Keep me wrapped in your words. Do not let me go. I am breathing their magnificence. It’s my pleasure to read you Lucy. You are a fantastic writer. Sending love.. plenty of love…
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I will not let you go! I thank you so much for your kindness, support and friendship. Much love and hugs back. ❤ ❤
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❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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🎇🌌🌌🌌🎇🎇🎇🌓🌓🌓🌓the fact that this took me to a far away place….your work is superb 🌙
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Oh wow, I’m beyond ecstatic to hear that. 😀 Thank you so much.
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you are welcome🌙🎇
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This is an ominous sea, and yet it is our birthplace. The journey is never easy. (K)
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Indeed, K. Thank you for your feedback!
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Brilliant 👍👏👏👏👏🤗
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Aww, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. ❤ ❤
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My pleasure always here 🤗
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Breathtaking loved the imagery! I do love boats!
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Thank you!
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Intriguing🌼
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Thank you. 😃
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oh this flows so well, literally and figuratively! the last part is such a calming ending.
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Thank you so much. 😊
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Aah. So dark this lament, Lucy. Wonderfully evocative.
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Thank you so much. ☺️
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Very nice Lucy! Loved the image of … and seas are in pot-lids of darkness;
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Thank you so much. 😊
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Your poems are evocative. You have a way with words. I can only compare your work to surrealist paintings – they are all at once familiar and not, each image reveal something else.
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Oh, wow! I thank you dearly for such compliment. It’s very heartwarming to me and I appreciate it very much. Thank you for reading my poem. 😀
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A masterpiece ❤
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Oh, I’m honored you think that. 🥰 Thank you so much.
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Very intsresting images, but my favourite ” to wed the ocean”
Much✏love
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Thank you so much, Gillena!
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We came out of the water and never really leave it, even though the ocean represents all that we find terrifying and dark. It’s not so much the sense of your words that gets under the skin, it’s the mood they create, like an abstract painting. So sensual!
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Aww, thank you so much! 💕
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🙂
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Beautiful! An entire life-cycle event.
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Thank you!
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With that first word, “umbilicus”, you take us on quite a journey!
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Thank you!
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