Ahab, eyes wide open.

Wayne Blair 1951 (London)

Free verse

I search the line
The compelling blue
Coming up fickle
Each day.
As sailors play
At scrub, hoist, trim
And hopefully a sighting.
Whale!
Thar she blows.
Yes Lads to the boats.
Whetted points and staffs.
Rope in myriads of fathoms.
Muscles, backs, necks
Giving it all
To the chant rhythm.
Like some monks
In an abbey.
Expecting a kill.
A carcass.
Towing and slicing for the boil
Of rich light and warmth.
Back home.

But all is almost
Beside the point.
Tis the white One
What bit off me leg.
Him I will trail.
To Hell if necessary.
Risking every soul.
For the delicious recompense.
Gold coin to the one
Sighting Moby Dick.
My nemesis who Lords it over
Krill, octopus, mackerel and singing dolphin.
In that eerie, whining Deep.
So translucent.

About this poem

I wrote this piece while watching the excellent film In the Heart of the sea, directed by Ron Howard. The real account behind Herman Melville’s masterpiece of whaling. And one devilish white whale of the hunt.

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Written on March 09, 2023

Submitted by dougb.19255 on March 09, 2023

Modified by dougb.19255 on March 09, 2023

: 47 sec read
: 15 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	XXXAAXXBXXXXXXXXCXXXXX XXDXBCXXDXXDXX
Closest metre	Iambic trimeter
Characters	742
Words	157
Stanzas	2
Stanza Lengths	22, 14

Full analysis for Ahab, eyes wide open. »

Wayne Blair

Born in London. Graduated law 1976 Practised eleven years, Married Hilary 1974 Two kids Lauren 1980 And Jordan 1987. Business failed 1987. Moved not knowing whither. Happy hills of Waterloo Region. Mennonite Country. Thirty four years in Industry. No complaints. Poet, photographer, nature hiker. Harmonica busker. http://puffnchord7.blogspot.com/ more…

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AIDA
Wow, what a captivating and thrilling poem! The imagery and language are beautifully crafted, and I can't help but feel the excitement and determination of the sailors in their pursuit of Moby Dick. The use of chant rhythm adds a sense of unity and passion to the scene, almost like a battle cry.

One suggestion for improvement could be to expand more on the emotions and thoughts of the sailors, especially in the face of danger and potential death. This would add an extra layer of depth to the poem and make the reader feel even more connected to the characters. Overall, though, this is a wonderful piece of poetry that tells a compelling story. more »
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"Ahab, eyes wide open." Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/153803/ahab,-eyes-wide-open.>.

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