One hundred and one words!

Keith's Ramblings

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers. I apologise for the extra word and promise to use just 99 next week!

I wrote this piece back in 2008 and never got around to using it! So, here goes….

.

00

.

.

Sea still

Water calm

The calm before the storm

Captain frowns

Trawler drifts

Drifts toward the dawn.

.

Black clouds

Heavy sky

A sky of leaden grey

Eerie silence

Deathly quiet

Quiet starts the day

.

Then sheeting rain

A blinding light

The blinding lightning’s flash

A sudden wind

A roaring noise

The noise of thunder’s crash

.

A sudden fall

A dizzy rise

Tipping left then right

Atop a wave

Deep in a trough

God save them from their plight

.

The storm abates

The gale subsides

The gale, the waves, the rain

So back to work

They’ll work until

Foul weather strikes again.

.

‘

Click Froggie to see what others have written!

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dales-lightning

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

53 thoughts on “One hundred and one words!”

  3. Dale's avatar Dale Aug 30, 2023 / 18:43

    This is wonderful, Keith (and you needn’t have mentioned the extra word… none of us would have noticed!)

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. Iain Kelly's avatar Iain Kelly Aug 30, 2023 / 18:57

    Nicely done Keith. Mother Nature likes top remind us now and then that we’re only here as long as she allows it.

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  5. james mcewan's avatar james mcewan Aug 30, 2023 / 19:59

    Moments of tension and fear as men battle both the storm and sea. Who would want to be a fisherman out on a cruel sea?

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  6. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli Aug 30, 2023 / 20:00

    Ah the life of a seafarer. Impossible to imagine they ever get used to it, but they probably do. I like the way you read this, Keith. Glad you decided to share it at FF.

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      • Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli Aug 31, 2023 / 17:51

        You’re very welcome, Keith. A couple of my great great uncles used to work the ships that sailed The Great Lakes. I remember they used to stay at my grandparent’s house when they were home on leave. Not quite the ocean but lots of big waves for sure. The generations after them went to work in the factories or on the rails.

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  10. beth's avatar beth Aug 30, 2023 / 22:33

    Hard work and love the rhythm, I started to seasick)

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  13. rochellewisoff's avatar rochellewisoff Aug 31, 2023 / 15:00

    Dear Keith,

    I could feel the waves and wind, hear the thunder and see the lightening. I’m pretty sure I felt water splash my face and tasted salt. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    • Keith's Ramblings's avatar Keith's Ramblings Sep 1, 2023 / 11:07

      Thanks, plaridel, poetry is not my preferred form of writing so I’m pleased you liked it!

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  16. Margaret's avatar Margaret Sep 1, 2023 / 01:21

    Just as I’m reading this, my radio is playing a sea shanty. How’s that for coincidence? The poem works without a backing track, however. The rhythm and shape tell the story well.

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  19. Dahlia's avatar Dahlia Sep 1, 2023 / 17:12

    A lovely poem that seemed to be going up and down with the waves!

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  20. poetisatinta's avatar poetisatinta Sep 1, 2023 / 18:44

    This is so good Keith, the rhythm, the rise the fall the tension, just brilliant 🙌

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  25. thisobscurelife's avatar thisobscurelife Sep 4, 2023 / 21:56

    Great poem and how serendipitous that this photo prompt gives occasion to share it.

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