Rottnest Basin
Framed in this picture of reef-table and rock-pool
how mermaid-like my daughter looks
curled in the sun on the warm shell-sand
above the swimmers'-feet-smoothed
brownish-gold rocks, the sand strewn with,
if you look closely, pink spiral shells
a little bigger than the largest sand grains,
with pearl-lined haliotis, battlemented ear-shells
the size of fingernails, red chitons, sea-fans
tiny stippled trumpets, a golden beach,
the green water at her feet, and the reefs
standing brown-gold in the blue sea beyond
all with a bright border, primary colours sparkling
of sunlit wavelets in the morning breeze
Underwater, at the cascading edge
of the weed-garlanded reef's bubble canopy
pale fish hang like glass mobiles for the diver
in the green avenues.
Landward, up the slope
in the rafters of the shelter-shed
martins build nests with a backdrop of palm-trees
and all the blues and greens of reef and sea, the sweep
of the long and wonderful beaches,
the high green and white of the sheltering headland,
with a salt and gum-leaf scent on the breeze.
Here worlds mingle. My wife reads P. J. O'Rourke
in the shade-house with the swallows.
Boys play cricket ankle-deep
in the pale green water on a smooth reef-table,
children shout with splashing balls.
I kick into the basin's outer edge,
in seven clear feet or so of water.
I dip my mask below the surface
and I am suddenly in a vast aquarium
as, while white legs kick in the distance,
the great silver buffalo bream
the striped angel-fish, small black scaly-fin
pass through the golden net of sunlight
moving on the white sand floor.
The avenues of wonder,
always to be found here like the coronets of blue
periwinkle-cities in the splash-zone, like
the bedizened, armoured chitons
in the rocks above the gardened reef-flats.
Author notes
Rottnest is an island off Western Australia. Many of my poems and verses are set there.
Written November 10th, 2006
A contest entry
- We Are Becoming Foster Parents and Adopting! Celebrate With Us! by Melissa Powell.
300 points, ended November 11, 2006, 11 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Your child is... by PrettyRagDoll.
375 points, ended December 20, 2006, 12 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Children by Jeni Fire.
1200 points, ended June 25, 2007, 13 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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Excellent
Wow. The visuals created in this piece just made me want to travel to this beautiful place. How wonderful. A pleasure to have read this today. Thank you. ~Pam
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The descriptions in this write took my breath away! The little mermaid in such a beautiful place left me speechless. Pretty poem, for a pretty girl, i am sure.
Thank you for entering my contest; thank you for sharing your words.
-d0l -
I did wonder if this was about the Aussie Rottnest before I saw the author's notes. Living on the East coast I long to go west again to relive the beauty and frailty of the West's nature. You have described it so vividly yet I think words can hardly described the beauty of Australia. I am glad I dropped into your page and got to read a real poet at work and at play.
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Beautifully done Kevin. I had little (none) problem with the vision of Rottnest.
Don -
Glad you put in your author's notes.
I read it to be Rottenest basin and i was wondering what was rotten about it. laughing at myself, i didn't expect to end the way it did. It feel like an unfinshed thought or your thoughts went to a place we, the reader, was not invited to follow. an enjoyable read, a dreamy feel. Thanks for sharing it.
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Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia was so-named by 17th-Century Dutch explorers who thought the Wallabies on it were rats (ie Rat's Nest). It is nothing to do with being rotten and is probably my favourite place on Earth. The little wallabies hopping around give it an Eden-like touch.
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Many thinks! i am so pleased to watch your own work going from strength to strength!
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This was a good poem which seemed personal/real life without losing a poetic quality. I liked how you used nature here without making it too overwhelming. Good use of sibilance too
I liked your use of enjambment in this write. Good use of characterisation and nice descriptive tone
Thanks for your comment. If the senate/house losses weren’t enough- having the apparently ‘neutral’ BBC reporter celebrating on the radio did NOT help
All the best
Pozo
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BEAUTIFUL POEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Kevin, What a wonderful story you have told with your words. Awesome imagery. This sounds like a wonderful place to visit. Truly lovely. Thank you for sharing. Take care, Sandy
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