The Tides

I reposted this on for a contest of a good friend. I wrote during an evening stroll on Jones Beach

 

^the_TIDES

^by Barry S. Maltese

 

 

There's a Special Majesty to the tides 
slowly washing onto the shore
Sweeping away all the Sand Castles
that the World had built before

 

As the water pulls back every time
leaving not a single trace
It cleans away all but the memory
of what had once stood in it's place

 

So very many Amorous couples
had left their prints behind
Strolling quietly along the seashore
to think, and to ease their mind

They never gaze behind themselves
as their past gets washed away
Being enchanted by the Mystic view
of the Never Ending bay

So, the eternal tides still continue
as they have since the very first dawn
Inspiring a world of Accomplished lovers
since the first Romance was born

There will always be a very Special Magic
in every wave that caresses a beach
Symbolizing eternally, how love and hope
are never completely out of reach
(c)2009Barry S. Maltese

Reviews

[Gandré]

I see in this poem as studies in suspension, you excel at description of this seaside, finding the precise verbal equivalent for the scene or image you have in mind and yet the sum of these exactness is shifting and uncertain world, your metaphor says to me that people had dreams but those are swept away at once by some crisis how we experience our world now. I think that there is not necessity to see exact the same thing as the poet does, poem is successful when it makes meaning and this is exactly what your poem does. And then you speak in the second stanza “ As the water pulls back every time leaving not a single trace” so wonderfully how everything is gone within second, this transience of our existence, transience of our works and what remains is the solidity of memory. You speak about love, which no more exists, and what is not said is at least as important as what is said, so lovers you say “never gaze behind themselves as their past gets washed away”, this addresses habitual mode of perception of the passive observer directly. Then you say “being enchanted by the Mystic view of the Never Ending bay” – this is wonderfully said – it is your way in which the realization enforces a change of my perspective, you are providing consequences, how such a nature can be seen – you transform this on lovers, using this wonderful rhyming, “So, the eternal tides still continue / as they have since the very first dawn / Inspiring a world of Accomplished lovers / since the first Romance was born “ and the thought process is looking for equivalents showing and defining connections, this is a stable viewpoint how to see seaside, in the last lines you say “”There will always be a very Special Magic / in every wave that caresses a beach / Symbolizing eternally, how love and hope / are never completely out of reach “ -------- this is an original and compelling way, giving positive impulse at the end and I think in this poem you found your subject and you are in command of your medium. Very nice indeed. wonderful writing. thank you for entering my contest.

[Tate Morgan]

The sea it calls to us it tells us we are of its making we have salt in us at the same density as the ocean it says we are coming home

[Ladysue]

I think this is a masterpiece. So beautifully written and so insightful into love and life. It is inspiring and just lovely. A pleasure to read...

[Onyx_Rayne]

Beautiful- Beautiful imagery- Beautiful flow... absolutely beautiful.

Your words bring many visuals to my mind as I read them. This poem is flawless, it can not be improved upon in anyway, it's perfect just as it is.

Brilliant work :)

[Ruth]

This is expressed beautifully Barry:)
The wonder of eternity and life all held in a tender balance, awesome poem! xx

[James K. Blaylock]

Wow, I very much enjoyed this sublime piece. It makes one ponder upon things such as life, love and hope. Great job, my friend.

jkb

[Melissa Kesead]

A very beautiful vision of love, life and irony. Well done.