Analysis of EL CALEUCHE
Ken Bartlett 1934 (Leominsterr Mass)
He left Castro in his launch before the sun set.
The day had been long, but it was not over yet.
Crossing open water to Cabach he had a distance to go.
Tide and weather resistance could make the trip slow.
El sol descended for his usual evening drink.
Snow-covered peaks on the Cordillera flared pink.
A rare pair of white dolphins arched out of the sea.
Life felt good, as good as it could and would ever be.
Daylight was ending and he was homeward-bound.
Soon after darkness, a cool mist whirled around.
Don Julio was getting drowsy and nearly fell asleep
when aroused by eerie music emanating from the deep.
A white glow in the mist grew and became bright.
A three-mast sailing ship emerged from the light.
The sight and enchantment lured Julio to dance
with el Brujo Chilote. All night they would prance!
Some days later the empty launch was found
where it had washed ashore and gone aground.
Don Julio had transformed into Imbunche
and is now a crew member of El Caleuche.
Scheme | AABB CCDD EEFF GGHH EEII |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain |
Metre | 111001101011 011111111101 101010111101011 101001011011 1101011100101 110110111 011111011101 1111111101101 1110011101 11010011101 110011010010101 10111010100101 01100110011 01110101101 010010110011 111111111 1110010111 1111010101 1100101011 0110110111 |
Closest metre | Iambic hexameter |
Characters | 1,033 |
Words | 198 |
Sentences | 17 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 20 |
Letters per line (avg) | 39 |
Words per line (avg) | 9 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 155 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 36 |
About this poem
El Caleuche is a ghost ship that haunts the archipelago of Chiloe. Imbunche and Brujio Chilote are mythical characters with magical powers. During the 1960s while residing in Patagonia, I was regaled by numerous tales of el Caleluche. Although I never encountered the ship, thank goodness, there were a few dark and misty nights when its presence and essence were felt.
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