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Devil's Island

I'll tell you a tale
of our own Devil's Island
and the demonic crash
of the waves in the swells.
The smell and the taste
of the ball breaking weather.
The ghosts that deliver
poor sailor's to Hell.

We were out in the water
among the Magdalenas
the wind plucked the ropes
of our rigging at sea.
We looked for a port
and saw many lights flashing
"That's old Devil's Island."
Said the skipper to me.

Ghosts began hurling
their fierce imprecations
"come to the Island
safe landfall to thee."
But the skipper turned round
the ship with a vengeance
"That old Devil's Island
will never get me."

I thought he was mad
to be scared of a legend
it was my first time
in a storm on the sea
and two men washed over
to Davey Jones locker
"God bless 'em, they'll rest now."
the skip said to me.

Protesting the treatment
of two forlorn sailors
I said to the skipper
"It's not very well."
"It's better," he said
"that they're resting in heaven
than entering into the portals of Hell."

The wind lasted the night
then the voices did falter
the lights blinkered out
and I saw very well
so many rocks, jagged
just waiting to smash us.
The Devil's Isle gateway
await in the swell.

If you're on a ship
and the voices of demons
come tell you it's safe
in their harbor alee
remember the shoreline
at old Devil's Island
then turn the ship seaward
and gracelessly flee.

Author notes

In the St. Lawrence Seaway are the Magdalen Islands, the old sailors tell the story of Devil's Island where the ghosts lure ships to the rocks to their death.

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Comments

1 - 22 of 22

  • Swan song gold member
    September 5
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    Very good thank you for your entry


  • Heavenly Angel gold member
    March 21

    Edit | Reply
    An excellent story poem...very much enjoyed!
    I love to hear old tales and to put it poetically is very creative
    Thank you so much for sharing and for being part of the contest; I wish you the very best


  • xxRainbowDawnxx
    February 3
    Edit | Reply
    What a nasty place, that I hope I never happen to come across.
    Some gross out imagery here.


  • Zenda-Lokki gold member
    December 20, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    Is always great to see when poets manage to keep the flow of their rhyming scheme all the way through a long poem. You have done it well. The poem is a joy to read and well deserving of the gold trophy previously won. Good luck in this contest hun, am sure you will get votes for this poem.

  • piccola silver member
    November 26, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    Nice rhyme and excellent flow too. Both helped to move the story right along without a stumble. Sea stories are so ... interesting I guess. thank you for your entry


  • swim.x
    September 13, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    Great allusion to the Devil's Island myth. I loved the rhyme scheme and how you were constantly referring to your conversations with the skip. He obviously knew what he was doing
    Congratulations and good luck in the contest.
    Chin up,
    Swim.x
    'If you're on a ship
    and the voices of demons
    come tell you it's safe
    in their harbor alee
    remember the shoreline
    at old Devil's Island
    then turn the ship seaward
    and gracelessly flee.'


  • Night Terrors
    August 8, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    that was very good I really enjoyed it thanks so much for the entry

  • piccola silver member
    August 4, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    congrats on the gold. This is a nice tale and you managed to do it in rhyme. Well done, too by the way. Thank you for the entry.


  • HereComesTheSun
    July 30, 2008

    Edit | Reply

    story time was great :]

    i loved the poem it had a evil went down to Georgia" feel to it and i loved deff a finalist congrats :]


  • spideracer gold member
    July 20, 2008

    Edit | Reply

    Very deserving winner

    What a beautiful poem, such imagery and imagination. Your Devil's Island captures the spirit of the moment, a truly well deserving winner indeed.


  • BerthdduSuit
    July 20, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    This is a stunning poem, congrats on the gold it was well deserved.


  • Rheea gold member
    July 19, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    lovely moves like a ballad


  • jossiemarie
    July 16, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    oh and if you could, let me know what the blue trophie is for on your profile ((((((((((hugs)))))))))))

  • jossiemarie
    July 16, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    brilliant, absolutely loved this you have a very very good chance of winning at present, good luck you are in the finerlists list.


  • Suzianne
    July 16, 2008
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    Well done!

    I love story poems. This one is in the finest tradition. A ripping yarn!


  • IrishGypsyRose silver member
    July 12, 2008

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    Jack Sparrow brought to life. Wonderful. Clear visuals with wonderful imagery. You brought mystery to the story and that made it well worth the read. Great piece. ~mandie~


  • lowercase prelude gold member
    July 7, 2008

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    This reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean. Like as if the voice of this piece (or the poet-persona) was Jack Sparrows.

    You've penned some clear visuals, so the reader can get that image in their mind.

  • LadCoberst
    July 5, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    I was expecting "our own devil's island" to be some kind of metaphor. So it kinda left me just waiting for a breaking point the first time I read it. (Not that it matters, that's just me)

    Second time I read it I was really intrigued, you draw pictures well in the readers head. I heard ghosts whispering and I could feel the waves from the sea!

    All in all, thanks for a great read! I was inspired very much inspired from it!


  • TransparentOpacity
    July 1, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    you write so well...i mean i could imagine myself right there ....visualizing everything happening right infront of me......gr8 work ....jus too good!!!!!!


  • crystallynnbradford
    June 23, 2008
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    awesome


  • Tattboyspet
    June 17, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    I'm not usually a fan of lengthy writes, but this one had the added bonus of mythical beings or ghosts and THAT kept me interested right to the end!
    The flow was a tad off every now and again, but the gist behind it was amazing!
    (just one observation: should 'await in the swell' not be waits ??? would that not sound a little better?)
    I thought that this one rocked ... you did an excellent job in adding the mystery to an already mysterious story, so WELL DONE!!!!!!


  • Pete Greenslade gold member
    June 17, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    great yarn on the romance of the mariner, i was expecting to read of papillon on your devils island good luck

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