Amid the balmy, briny breath,
the whiff of wind-worn rock
and washed-up bladderwrack,
a great white bird
emerges from the ocean.
It’s a pterodactyl-like contraption
of hollow bones and feathers, buffeted
by the coming storm. Puppeted,
the gannet freezes
mid-flight,
a scribble torn between fantastic nacreous clouds
and foaming green waves,
trapped in the anticipation of an early sea grave.
Kim M. Russell, 28th March 2024
Image by Phil Botha on Unsplash
Originally written on 2nd April 2023 for Visual Verse, I have re-structured this poem and give it a new title for Open Link Night at the dVerse Poets Pub, where Sanaa is our host.
writing in north norfolk 
This is gorgeously rendered, Kim! I love how you have res-structured the poem along with the image; “a scribble torn between fantastic nacreous clouds and foaming green waves.” ❤️❤️❤️
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Love the capture of the great white bird, from flying to freezing in mid-flight. Opening tercet lines are my favorite.
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Thank you, Grace.
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Wonderful- especially the last stanza!
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Thank you, Kim!
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l love all the alliteration you use here. Can I say how much I love the phrase “washed-up bladderwrack,” too?🤭 And your rhyming of buffeted with puppeted. This is delightful, Kim.
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Thank you very much, Melissa!
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Fast moving and alive with imagery. Well written, Kim.
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Thanks so much, Shirley!
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I absolutely love the tone of the poem, it is so action packed, I could imagine this being recited during and as an opening to a theater play!
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Thank you so much!
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So poetic that it read like the spell of an ancient bard.
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Thank you, Colleen!
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Great use of language to contrast the smooth lines of this gannet against the fierce maw of North Sea storm.
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Thanks Brendan. I love watching the bigger birds – a heron just flew by!
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You are a wordsmith .. love how you use them, introduce us to them. Cheers!!!
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Thank you kindly, Helen!
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Sea birds look especially ancient to me too. Lovely images. (K)
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Thanks so much, Kerfe.
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So descriptive,, the gannet ‘puppeted’ as it faces the coming storm is so vivid and strong. Wonderful poetry.
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Thanks so much, Dianne.
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I remember your gannet poem, and I like this version too. That ‘scribble’ between the clouds.
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Thanks, Jane. Sometimes old poems only need a couple of tweaks to bring them back to life.
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Yes, and discover a different facet.
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A beautiful musing of an image you’ve captured here, as if you’ve snatched it out of the clouds! I love the last stanza and especially the line:
“a scribble torn between fantastic nacreous clouds”
🤩
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Thank you!
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I love the alliteration, rhythm, and all the word sounds here. So many sea birds look like dinosaurs to me. Love “a scribble torn. . .” Beautifully crafted, Kim!
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Thanks very much, Merril! Have a lovely weekend.
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You’re welcome, Kim. You, too!
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9Wow!!! I so luv the “nacreous clouds” image
Much♡love
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Thanks so much , Gillena!
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Beautiful rework! Congrats, Kim!
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Thank you, Jan!
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This is very beautiful, Kim. I am a huge bird fan.
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Thanks Roberta!
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😊
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Love the fantastic alliteration, the rhythm and the movement of your verse, Kim. The closing stanza is outstanding.
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Many thanks, Puanm!
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My pleasure.
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Such a beautiful bird. 😊
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Thank you!
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