My challenge for your this week is to write a poem or story based on the following visual prompt of a haunted lighthouse:
Last week’s challenge was a poem about the sea. There were some fantastic responses:
Judith Westerfield sent the following link to a poem that’s a little different but highly entertaining:
http://judithwesterfield.com/2015/05/21/up-a-tree-x-8/
Stephen Baum sent in a simple, but very effective poem he wrote a little while ago:
The Copper Sea
We sailed the copper sea
We played out our destiny
We walked together in the sand
You were my woman and I was your man….
The letters came tumbling from the sky
But the people walked away, They did not wonder why
And the letters cast their shadows on the land
you were my woman and I was your man
En zi‘s poem is lovely:
Animals Under The Sea
Under the crystal blue seas,
live marine animals drinking tea.
They are all clad in pink,
looking ever so neat.
The shark pours tea for the whale,
while the whale tells a tale.
To the beat the seahorses dance,
just what they do every month.
Oh, the animals living happily under the sea,
all clad in pink!
Oh, the animals living happily under the sea,
telling tales and drinking tea!
Oh, the animals living happily under the sea,
dancing to the beat!
Keith Channing‘s is a gem of a poem:
A Day By The Sea
The weather was fine
And so me and mine
Went down for a day by the sea
We piled in the car
Then we drove very far
My parents, my siblings and me.
My Mum had contrived
That when we’d arrived
She’d lay out a fine picnic spread
But she whispered to Dad
That she’d really be glad
When we’re all back home safe in our bed.
“Why’s that?” Daddy asked
As the relish he passed
And we all grabbed with pushing and shoving
“The reason,” she said
“Is that when they’re in bed,
We can get ourselves some serious loving.”
“That sounds good to me,”
Said Daddy, with glee,
“Let’s wear them out, quick as we can.”
And so he did chase
Us all over the place
We ran, and we ran, and we ran.
Though we started off strong
Before very long
We were shattered, my siblings and me.
That’s when Daddy said
“Lets all go home to bed.”
And each one of us did agree.
That night in our bed
From what Mummy said
There must have been some kind of quake
For next day when we woke up
Though none of us spoke up
We knew Mummy felt the earth shake.
It does seem that each
Time we go to the beach
Something strange befalls Father and Mother
Though she tries not to show it
We blooming-well know it
We’ll soon have a sister or brother.
DD Moonsong shares a stunning poem:
The Sea’s Song
Churning, turning, ever burning
Twisting, rolling, always moaning
Groaning, gurgling, even twerking
Dancing, sloshing and gyrating
Spilling shinily on the rocks
Flecking the air, bathing the docks
Breathing gassily amidst the pores
of unknown, unwanted shores
Spawning fish and hiding mermaids,
deep within, where no child ever wades
Tinkling melodies far below abide
where the sand is not reached by the tide
Screeching mollusks, roaring sharks
fluttering ferns and eel-like sparks
some fish puff, others mutter
within it’s smothering, searching stutter
As it embraces all and none,
below the air, beneath the sun
the song goes forever on and on
in its relentless joyful drone
Geoff Le Pard always brings the wow factor:
Sea Lovers
(after a sonnet)
On first sight you are endless; perfection
A sheet of calm, saturating my dreams
With slumbering slow breaths; a rising steam
Clings to you skin, sheered in my reflection.
I swell in time to your timeless surging
Carried far away from my cold safe haven
Fearful at first; my scarred soul still craven
Until freed by your boundless urgings.
Close now, familiar, visage uncreased
By the experiences of years, you’re taunting
Me with your raw beauty, cruel flaunting.
Deeper now I sink, washed love unleashed
Filling undepleted oceans with my sap.
Blue trumps grey: clarity beats muddle –
Crisp words left unsaid; minds befuddled:
Am I adrift? Is there love left to tap?
Unchecked, you will drown me, sensuous sea lover.
I blink and turn away – safe, my life is over.
Riley Reed is a powerful writer:
Emotional Drowning
There is a storm that rages within me,
that churns and tosses like an angry sea.
Waves of emotion battle against my soul,
till there is nothing left to make me whole.
The currents pull and push, drag me under,
beneath the surface, I start to wonder.
Should I fight against those seething waves?
Or do I submit and become their slave?
I see light above the waters surface,
below is nothing but a dark abyss.
Yearning to breathe, I fight to swim upwards,
against the ocean dragging me backwards.
Breaking the surface, I take a deep breath,
embracing relief at evading my death.
Sunlight glistens across a now calm sea,
I look to the shore, and hope to be free.
Jane Basil has a talent for humour. Here she tries another approach – very successfully:
Adhin Shamina uplifts:
THE LANGUAGE OF THE BLUE
She will show
what she feels.
Just look at her.
No need to be on your kneels.
Her expressions say much.
In different presentations
different emotions
she will touch.
She will come in waves
like hands she forwards
as generously inviting
or cautiously alerting.
Sometimes like a mother
she offers small waves
like tenderness filled caresses.
Sometimes like a father
big waves for danger she addresses.
Her vastness amazes.
Yet she dwells in hearts
never dearth of praises.
In her berth we sway,
by her side for long
we want to stay
and for joyful moments
she is always the better way.
She opens her arms,
as irresistible calls to us
that creates like spell
and we fall to her charms.
Her gifts are many
yet she never complains
bearing whatever she receives
be they good or pains.
But she deserves much more
for despite her strength
she always helps us ashore.
So she is our mother,
she is our father
and caring for her
should never be a bother.
Sacha Black doesn’t think poetry is her thing. I beg to differ:
Her endless horizon has taken so many,
to lands of beauty and paradise
but her deep blue mood is fickle and dangerous,
while she tempts and treats some with watery heavens,
Many are swallowed and drowned by her darkened mouth.
Steve Walsky posted a great haiku:
The Call Of The Sea
The call of the sea,
its roar hounds me; joyful gain.
Tears from salt water.
Jason Moody brings this to a close with a strong poem:
I lap the shore
I taste the land
I stretch out wide
And touch the sand
I sparkle and gleam
Lit up by the sun
And when you come close
I crash, and you run
On the beach you build castles
In my embrace you have fun
Cooled by my waters
Away from the sun
You’re sad when you leave
A return not so certain
And you wave your goodbyes
To my watery curtain
Esther Chilton 
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