Chum

Image Poem Prompt

Author’s Note: Don’t mind me, just doing that thing again where I don’t want something lost in the notes forever.

Mark Crutchfield posted this prompt:

And our own wonderful pm wrote something beautiful, and I was fortunate enough to be tagged:

Here is my attempt:

And I’m including it in a post here so it doesn’t get lost (although I did edit the ending for this posted version from my original note).

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From Mark Crutchfield:

Image prompt time.

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A short poem, prose,

single line or even word

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Optional, of course.

Restack and share to pass on.

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Chum

We’ve been rowing for days

The cold, the mist

and the morning haze

By day,

the sun comes in blistering

Nothing to drink,

just the salty water whispering

But nights like these

they are so dark

No moonlit glow,

no star’s spark

Capsized and stranded

we row in this sea

Seeking land or a ship

just anybody

We see them circle,

These swells come alive

We row and row

It’s how we intend to survive

They close the perimeter

we see the fins tightening

Our faces stoic

Although quite frightening

“Keep on lads!”

our Captain shouts

“Stay steady, boys

and don’t look out!”

“Eyes ahead,

we’ll make it through!

This night is tough

but so are you!”

We quicken our pace

to our Captain’s charm

But just then, a shark jumps up

and bites clean off the Captain’s arm!

We take our oars

and attempt to fight!

And I do not cry

as I watch my entire leg disappear in one swift bite!

I have become chum

floating in the water

I look up at the stars

And let my mind

begin to wander

Am I now floating?

It’s hard to know

This body and blood

are just now part of this ocean’s flow

I look toward the light

it’s welcoming.

Dare I say,

is it beckoning?

Flying or floating,

up high or below

I somehow seem to only know

That it is okay

to continue to row.

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