A poem for Bastille Day and to celebrate French fishing heritage.
Scent of seaweed
floats in early
dawn light,
a lone fisherman rakes
mounds of
briny sargassum
off the landing.
Three wooden skiffs,
Rainbow Runner,
Sea Hawk, Marax,
hoisted on wooden blocks,
descending down
the mossy ramp,
wire fish pots stacked
as a brown rooster,
head bobbing forward,
pecks the shoreline.
Marlboro man,
face bronzed in
salt and light
with cigarette dangling,
crosses the parking lot, glistening bags
of ice in hand.
Mackerel, parrot,
grouper, yellow tail,
spiny lobster,
all chilled
in plastic tubs,
for sale, weighed
on a battered
aluminum scale,
this fragrant morning
of the ocean harvest.
In the shallows
two men seated,
one in stern,
hand on the
motor steering rod,
a plume of sea foam,
aquamarine wake
bubbles rippling,
the boat glides
to Villa Olga channel,
headed again to sea
for unknown catches.
Outstretched,
a solitary frigatebird
sails across the
cloudless blue sky,
wings up drafting
on sunlight,
ocean bound.
The Source Arts & Literature section highlights the work of our creative readers. All visual artists and creative writers are encouraged to share with us new works.
Poetry and creative prose submissions are limited to 1,500 words and should include a brief bio of the writer. Visual art submissions should include at least one high-quality image or video and a very brief bio along with an artist’s statement that speaks to the inspiration of the work. The statement should include the title if there is one, the medium used and what the work means to you.
Please send submissions and questions to visourceart@gmail.com.