Thursday, April 14, 2011

Granite Ships


My first favorite rocks were in our front woods.  They were two granite ledges that jutted out of the pine needled floor.  We spent many hours on them pretending they were our ships.  We'd jump off and "swim" to the next ledge to clamber aboard.  My two brothers were on one ship, and my sister and I were on the other.  I was the oldest, so I got the pick of the ships!  At the end of the day, my mother would blow an old ship's foghorn that would resonate throughout our rural area, and all the neighbors would know we were on our way home from wherever we had been.

In summer, we braved the wind and waves
On a pine needled, pine-treed sea
Two granite ships set sail each day
With brothers and sister and me.

If you stood on the bow and used a tube
You could see forever out there.
Sometimes you could hear the barking of
A white poodle seal so rare!

Tho' the seas got quite lively and stormy
We'd never be really in fear
We always were safe from all danger
With me as the captain to steer.

We stayed all day and into the eve,
Me and my sibling crew.
We only came in to dock our ships
When the low, loud foghorn blew.

The sound of the horn meant it was time
To head in to port right away,
We were needed by landlubbers, mom and dad;
We’d set sail again the next day!

Thus were the days of my childhood
I wish that those days had not ended.
I love the memory of piney seas and
The first rock that I befriended!

2 comments:

  1. It's just wonderful, Donna. It's so sweet & captures that time with both wonder & awe. What a childhood you had! I hope you sent this to your siblings.

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  2. Yes, Donna this was so amazing! I too am the oldest and I loved this. My husband and I visited Maine a few years ago and it brought back memroies for me. I came to your blog to thank you for your comments and to respond that I agree with you that it seems more painless with some, with others well we'll see. :) I wish you all the best as well! We can do it! Thanks again for sharing! Loved this! I think I'll start sharing this with my class this morning. It's a great way to start the day!

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