Echoes of a Dead Whale

Cherry

By Jane Hyphen

Sun, 01 Sep 2019
  • 2646 reads
12 comments
 

 

If you could hear my song

You’d know we shared the stars

Jewels immersed forever ours

Echoes locked inside fathoms

Among dead men and gardens 

 

If you could breathe with me

You’d know how we are bound

Your frailty was also my betrayal

The gulping sea eternal, my cradle

We watched you ride her curling lips

 

 

If you could know my kin

You’d feel flames just the same

The light that makes us whole

Yet for you it’s not enough

You trailed bleeding shadows

 

If you smell my fear

You’d feel the certain crush

The rank terror of pursuit

The cleft frenzy of our end

No trial, so bloody absolute

 

 

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I'm not vegetarian, and it is easy to be anthropomorphic in considering animals' understanding of the chase isn't it? There must have been times when the catching of a whale saved groups from starvation, especially in icy climes where farming was impossible. That seems much less likely nowadays, and sport or rarety of delicacy of taste may well be responsible for much unnecessary hunting, and reduction of numbers.

But we are glad for those who hunt the few giants to bring us their pictures in the depths!

I liked the line We watched you ride her curling lips. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Hi Rhiannon, I think whales are known to have very high intelligence based on the number of connections in their brains and I'm quite sure they feel real terror when pursued and under physical attack. I agree we cannot criticise people who hunt for necessity but I recently saw an article about whales being slaughtered in the Faroe Islands just for sport but there's no real sport in that. Thanks for your comment.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jane,

that second stanza was so moving. Especially:-

The gulping sea eternal, my cradle

We watched you ride her curling lips

A very clever metaphor and symbol of how this amazing creature shows to be a gentle giant that we should respect and not kill.

Long live the whale and thank you for sharing your poem.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Hi Jenny, thanks for your comment. It's the needlessness of it that gets me, as I said above, a bunch of men and young boys carving up whales in the Faroe Islands for what appeared to be no reason whatsoever. Go evolve, that's what I say. Long live the whale indeed. 

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

And thanks for the cherries xx

 

Submitted by lenchenelf on

Lovely, ehoes.

best L xx

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks elf x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

So glad you are writing again! I have missed your rich thoughts that I have to read ten or more times and still feel there is more.

The gulping sea eternal, my cradle

We watched you ride her curling lips

 

The light that makes us whole

Yet for you it’s not enough

You trailed bleeding shadows

 

It is terrible that Japan has started whaling again, there is no market,  no need for the meat. They have decided it is their right and traditional and that's enough, even though many Japanese don't like the whaling. Hunting, it's as though it makes us in touch with an older, simpler more easier to understand age when hunters could be heroes. But those we hunt are weak from pollution, bellies full of plastic bags instead of food.There's no bravery or honour, only pretending and being too scared to fight the important battle which is to protect the wild before there is nowhere left

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Hi Di, I've had such a long summer somehow and also a child gutted over gcse results, it doesn't matter in the long term but still a bitter pill for them to swallow. 

I agree about Japan. It's very strange how they are almost obessive over certain elements of the landscape and evidently capable of connecting spiritually with nature and yet they plunder the sea and it's rare giants too. Very hard to understand isn't it.

Thanks for your comment x

 

 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

poor thing! Took me 4 goes to get maths, but in the end it was the same as if I'd got it first go, having it was all that mattered. I hope they soon find there is a bright side and get to do what makes them happy

did you see this link that Insert posted about a competition for a whale poem?

https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Leed...

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

I think some of the teacher's predictions were a bit optimistic, you're told you could get an 8 and then you relax and maybe don't work as hard and end up with a 5.

I did see that link and found it an inspiring topic at the time and then I saw something in the news about a whale massacre in the Faroe Island, apparently it's a regular thing up there. The pictures are horrific.

 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Really? I did not know that was still alowed? Will have a look on a  day when feel a bit more together. Thankyou for telling me