Beneath Still Waters

Layers of color, of life, of power

Ebb and flow, obey the moon.

We stand ashore

Lulled by the sound of lapping waves

Enchanted by golden flecks of light

Riding the rippling surface

Mixing azure and gold.

So calm, so peaceful.

Waves of silver undulate below,

Reflecting and miming the dance above.

We drag our nets

Hand over fist over fist over hand

Taking all she has to give

And more--tuna, salmon, cod, and

More. Until

Like the hounds of hell, black fury

Rumbles and roars and pushes

skyscrapers of boiling, seething

water hand over fist over fist over

land, swallowing all that lies

in her path

before

retreating

with

her catch

to the

sea.

©2011 R.M. Talbot

Sadly, this poem was inspired by the second earthquake to hit Japan, footage of the previous tsunami from last month's quake, and my reading of Four Fishes by Paul Greenberg. The ocean is so beautiful, and we take it for granted, it seems, by over-fishing and polluting it. We forget it's power and fury. This poem tries to capture all of these elements.