Dolor y Rareza

iambic pentameter . . . tragedy in bustling fishing/canneries town.

 

the fish, the huge schools of them that clouded

the Bay, that gave us life, just went away

quietly.  and we . . . we never knew why.

all the extravagant mass of sardines

departed one night along with our dreams

of being rich men: of owning a house

where gladiola grew, a shimmering white

green-shuttered house, of owning two Sunday

suits, silk handkerchiefs and an English pipe.

drifting into the Bay, a darkness we

had never seen before, without the gray

silk of fog, without the reassuring

cold breath of night.  We shrugged away the fears.

we were old hands at fishing and living.

wait til morning, we advised absently.

we gazed into the fire and watched our dreams

peacefully.  we blew out the lantern late.

the day dawned hollow, and the Bay was pale.

 

 

Reviews

[Angi]

This poem shows the fishermen counting on things to always be the way they have known it. Fishing is their livelihood. How strange and frightening to wake to the schools of fish just gone. This is an interesting poem and I wonder where you took your inspiration from, Annie. Angi~

[annie lee]

Angi -- thank you. This is based on what happened to the fishing and canning industry in Monterey circa early 50s. The fisheries were largely dependent on sardines and in one season they simply disappeared. Before parts of the Bay would seem shadowed with all the fish, their silver bodies sometimes catching a glint of sun. I was very young, but I remember the despair and the puzzlement -- and all the talk of dreams dashed on kelp covered rocks.

[Angi]

I grew up in SW FL. I remember the fishing industry regulations coming through in the 80's and 90's. The fisher families were devastated. They could not make a living anymore and they didn't know how to do anything else. Did they ever find out what happened to the fish in Monterey?

[annie lee]

Not that I know of.

[Ruth]

Survival and wow! This is awesome :) The imagery, once more, is wonderful, really brought it home to me, how some people's lives are so different, enlightening read xx

[Rita L. Sev]

You have a way of drawing these images with your words, nature and humanity coming together... Wonderfully written and unique poem, Annie.

[annie lee]

Thank you, Rita.

[Sami Khalil]

"we gazed into the fire and watched our dreams

peacefully. we blew out the lantern late.

the day dawned hollow, and the Bay was pale."
Such a touching tragedy of natural consequences and human greed. You convey the message wonderfully to appeal to the conscience of humanity...Bravo

[annie lee]

Thanks, Sami.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)

[Pryde Foltz]

A haunting write and engaging story. You really capture a time here. I am reminded of the cod fishery
shut down in Canada, but then I can't also help but think the sardines are representative of something else as well--dreams gone. A very nice write. And I love the style.

[annie lee]

Thank you, Pryde.