Shackleton`s Grave

for a hero

The end of the white road; 

pearlwort in a stone square,

cold and calm the wind.

The tanning of a whale;seals at dance,

dog-eyed in the morning and lost to snow,

shapes like stones in new skins.

Petrels fall out of the wind 

(sky and earth flipped; a passage into grey).

So mourn for the green in another place,

a distant bodhran,stones and breakers in

white-boned water,endurance the last sleep

deep in fern.

Reviews

[M Breen]

Appreciated the portrait of the idea of the man...in your landscape. It brought to mind Antarctica by Mahon, two very different approaches to arrive at something similar, an emotional respect. "sky and earth flipped" is a phrase many people have sought to write and haven't achieved. Quality.

[reflectingus]

I feel that this poem is the perfect definition of the whole concept of poetry itself. Lovely flow of words, beautiful imagery, just want to read it over and over.

[cartera]

First stanza just draws one in to be part of that strange environment faced by Sand his folk. Carefully selected phrses that convey whole pictures in a few words.
Great poetry.
Alex.

[Claire Twinn]

Sublimely beautiful, it feels both lonely and reverent.

[Sami Khalil]

You are a skilled poet . A powerful read and meaning...:)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"sky and earth flipped"

the grey water...the early morning...the calm wind in the hours before dawn.
the last resting place of a hero in this stone cold setting...

another fabulous painting...your brush strokes with your pen amaze me...

one of the best to read on this site.

thank you for your poems....they inspire me.

jacob

[Jeremy Baker]

'Dog eyed in the morning ...' Such expressive power, such understated simplicity. Masterful stuff.

[Ken Simm.]

When I say that I can see this. I mean I can really see this. Feel the atmophere you have described. The place, the windswept cold and the deep, deep emotion of this.

[Augustus]

Some skillful imagery at work here. I like the subtle use of colors: white, grey and green. I think humans rely a lot on their eyesight, so the use of color in a poem always helps the reader connect to the verse. Here, too, it is immediately clear from the colors that the mood is sombre, yet peaceful. "Endurance the last sleep" is a wonderfully elegant line and my favourite in this poem. What I enjoyed most, though, about the poem, is that you haven't said much directly about Shackleton or his grave. You weave the scene in front of the reader and leave him to make what he will of it. And somehow, that is far more effective than taking an overtly descriptive approach. Thank you for a beautiful, haunting verse.

[FJ Davis]

To praise the deserving is practically virtue.
This artful poetic offering features extremely impressive imagery.
Outstanding work, Leslie!