Mainely Write

I can't believe it is over.  I can't believe I did the whole thing.  I can't believe so many of us did the whole thing.  I would like to continue, but I think I have a writing project now to finish.  I will post Tuesdays and Fridays for almost sure.  And either Wednesday or Thursday, if I can swing it.  We will see.  I need just a little break, but not too much.  I at least have to see if I can get something in print.  I said I was going to, but haven't done it yet.  Write Club starts soon!   Aaargh!  Must be ready.  So I really do need to give my brain a change of pace here pretty quick.
The lobster boats are just waking up from their hibernation, and heading back to the water this week.  I got pictures while they were napping - just in time!  It's harder to get pictures when they are on the move.

So Z last lobster boat and poem is here.  First word - yare, a new word for me.  Thanks, rch over at Average Poet for the word yesterday.  I had my poem written…

My theme for April, Poetry Month and the A to Z Challenge: Maine Lobster Boat Names A to Z with poems for each...
Now this next boat...YYY may just be a no name and the YYY is part of the registration number.  But since there were no other numbers there - I'm taking it!  I haven't found any other Y names yet, so this is what I'm going with!
I think it is a question...or three questons: Y? Y? Y?  (Why? Why? Why?)
Isn't she cute?  She reminds me of Sunrise, my S boat, only a little deeper yellow and a dark red bottom.  She looks more like a sunset to me.


It's Time to Go Home

All day out at sea
with little to show,
we've had a long day
    so,
       it's time to go home.
The gulls overhead
entreat us to stay                      
"Stay here in the bay",
       no,
           it's time to go home.
The shadows are long
the day is now short;
"Day's over" we sigh,
        then
            it's time to go home.
We head in befo…

I did not get to use this boat, having found it after letter J was published.  I have more boats than I can shake an oar at.  I'll just add them later.  This is a pre-written post for Sunday.  Since mine were almost all pre-written, I decided I'd still do a poem on Sundays.  Why not?  I'm not writing them on Sunday, and I'm not even posting them; they're automatic.  So I am good to go.  I can write one for Sunday and just not be there.  So know that if you comment on these, that I will just be a day late in responding to you...(even though I may take a peek at dinner time).  Oh, and if you get a chance - and you are here anyway, because you are reading this now...PLEASE check out X on Saturday!  It was so hard to find an X, and I was so pleased to have found it.  And X (for Xtreme Measures) has such a neat story to go with her, that I would so like to have more than only two people to have read it - thanks Catherine and Sania for checking in, reading and commentin…

X has been found, really found!  It's the A to Z Challenge, and letter X is for today.  I have been searching for a lobster boat that begins with the letter X for quite some time.  and I found it a couple of days ago.
I have not yet met Xtreme Measures in person, but found its news article online.  It is a lobster boat that was lost off Spruce Head in a blizzard.  It had been lost for 10 days in February, but was located adrift about 150 miles away.
Story here: Bangor Daily News.
The night was dark
And fearsome;
No stars to
Guide the way.
The sky was thick
With snowflakes;
No twinkle
Nor moon ray.
The waves were cold
And mighty;
No rest for
Boats this day.
With blust'ry winds
For weather,
The snow could
Hide a stray.

The boat was tossed
And tugging;
No hope to
Hold her tight.
The ropes were frayed
And loosened;
No crew to
Head her right.
The craft was sure
And worthy
As winds would
Give her flight.
The boat would go
Unnoticed
Until the
Next daylight.

For days no one
Coul…

It's Friday and the letter is W in the A-to-Z Challenge!
My theme - lobster boat names in Maine and an original poem to go with each.  Visit more great A to Z posts by clicking on the tab above.
It is also Poetry Friday, so click on the Poetry Friday link on the side to find more great links to poetry!

So here we go with War Horse and Waffle!

Though winds become wild And white-capped the sea, My bones are as sturdy, As sturdy can be.

I've won my fair share
Of battles and fights
I've carried my captain
Through many a plight.

Faithful and fearless,
Trustworthy and strong
The captain and I
Are where we belong. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Counting the days till I'm out of wraps; Warm weather's coming, begone you cold snaps! I want to be out on the sea riding high; I want to be soaring, yes, I want to fly! I feel the air warming and see the snow melt; I remember this feeling that I haven't felt - Since last spring - Oh, that zing! Yes, it's spring! ~…

Valerie J is peeking through the rails, grounded at dock - not a common situation for a lobster boat.

Tides are the masters
That say where to go
And how to return -
We heed high and low.

Highs and lows
Of tidal flows.

Weather is mistress
 Dictating speed -
How soon for home
As storms we heed.

Storms to weather-
Weather together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Education Volume: V-Notch -
V-tail orV-notched = A notch in the flipper to the right of the center flipper.  If a berried female (remember that means she has eggs under her tail) without a notched tail is caught, the lobsterman cuts a notch cut in her tail and releases her. If a lobsterman catches a female with a notched tail, he must release her; as it means she is a breeding female. After a few molts, notches grow out and the lobster is a legal catch (unless she has eggs again of course).

Well, U is for unable to get my own pictures.  I finally found a picture online of one Maine lobster boat that begins with U - Underdog!  I have to credit Sam Murfitt for the picture here.
I also have a video clip of showing Underdog getting rolled a bit in a lobster boat race in 2008.  The write up is here: http://www.fishermensvoice.com/archives/0909foolishpleasureunderdog.html The video is here: http://www.fishermensvoice.com/archives/0909quicktimevideo.html It all turns out well in the end, after a concussion and a broken arm, anyway.

Here is Underdog and two poems I wrote for it:

©Photo by Sam Murfitt
from
Utterly Underdog -
 (just watch it!) seriously 
Undersung -
 (go howl it!) woefully 
Underweened -
 (award it!
) horribly Underhyped -
 (harp on it!
) really Underrated - (rethink it!
) to
Wicked Wonderdog -  (wonderfully wild waves!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Underdog's Race

 Underestimated weather
Unimaginable deep
Undulating waves
Unrelenting wind
Unprotected seas
…

It's Tuesday and it's T in the A to Z Challenge (see tab above for more participants) and it is Slice of Life Tuesday over at Two Writing Teachers (see navigation button on the right to get there)!  I also have an afternoon meeting, so will try to connect with people the best I can.  It's going to be a busy day!

Temptation With high water boots, With knives and coiled ropes - The fishermen tote Their gear and high hopes.

Ready the traps and
Spruce up the boat
Temptation is high
To take her afloat!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True North

True North
sea steady
compass ready
true detection
of direction
go forth
true north
set course
 brute force
wild ride
true guide
compass steady
sea ready

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Educational Treats:
Tomalley: The green stuff in a cooked lobster.  It's the liver, and is edible.  My grandmother loved it!  I can live without it.

Lobster traps:  A trap is set with a camera:

It's Monday and the letter is S in the A-to-Z Challenge.  My theme - lobster boat names in Maine and a poem to go with each.  Visit more great A to Z posts by clicking on the tab above.  Over 1700 bloggers are participating, so I know there will be something in the list that will be your cup of tea.  Of course, I'd love to have you keep coming back here too...maybe even sign up to follow my posts! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunrise Sun dancer
Sunrise skimmer of waters blue
Ocean’s deep water sprite
Bouncing off white caps
Happily hopping from crest to crest
Seaworthy butterfly flitting from buoy to buoy
Busy and bright as a bobbing sunbeam

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephanie G.

I'll soon bring out traps
And buoys and moors To drop overboard And dot these Maine shores.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Educational Somethings:

Shorts: lobsters that are too short to keep and sell; the carapace is less than 31/4" long measured from the rear of the e…

I don't need to write for anyone but me today.  It is late - early Sunday.  I don't write today.
So.  I should have written something earlier to schedule and I didn't.
So. Here is Off Today.  Which is what I am.

Sweet Day Off
Sunday, Sweet day of Zest Sounds of Children bouncing Off the bus Singing happily Off key Crisp pages turning Off rhythm Joyful hymns echoing Off the walls The Word catapulting Off the pulpit Prayers lisping Off lips;  Sunday, Sweet day off - Rest.
See you on the boat tomorrow!

Today is the letter R for the A to Z Challenge.  The first two pictures are ones I did not take, but was given to use for this challenge by a local high school student who also does lobstering.

Reel n Roll
bob and weave land we leave chug out to sea helm turned alee
roll and reel bow and keel dance on the wave its rhythm we crave
back to moor end of chore a lowery sky bad weather is nigh ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Robin A. II"
I'll fly o'er the swells
Through white caps and foam
And blast through a gale
To moor safe at home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relentless,
the sea
crashing waves
across
the bow;
Relentless, 
the wind
rushing, whipping
 the churning sea;
Relentless,
the threatening
rocks
beneath;
"Relentless",
unrelenting,
we are safely
returned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Educational Retreat:

Roe = also called coral because of its red color.  It's found in the female lobsters only, as it is the unfertilized eg…

Double duty today - It's Poetry Friday Roundup over at Live Your Poem with Irene, and it's Q-Day in the A-to-Z Challenge.  After your visit here, pop on over to either place for some quality blogs!
Quick Step's picture was not taken by me.  I'm going to try to get one of my own shortly!
Quick Step
Dance with me now,
A quickstep or tango,
A waltz or a samba,
Jitterbug or fandango,
Dance with me quick
Across the wide floor;
Cake walk or flamenco,
Away from my moor; Cha-cha or shimmy,
Shuffle or slide,
Hustle or hula,
A polka or jive,
I want to get out there To boogie and twist.
The water's just right;
Let’s do the whole the list!
Other Q boats I've found in Maine, but have not taken pictures of yet:

Queen B is the name of a lobster boat on Chebeague Island.  He's selling lobsters here, so you will have to ignore that it is a sales pitch until I can locate him and get a picture of his boat.  I don't really want to take a trip out to Chebeague, but I'll …

I hold the stories
Of old lobster men
Whose putty and paint
Made me whole again.

I hold their lives and
I still hold a dream
And I know what makes
 Their seablue eyes gleam.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Stay tuned for the elusive Q!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Educational Portion:
Pistol = a lobster that has lost its claws.  Fortunately, they do regenerate their claws. Pegs = lobstermen used wooden or plastic pegs inserted into the base of the claws to prevent lobsters from opening them. Now they band them with rubber bands to keep their claws closed. P is for Psalm.  I thought it an interesting rewrite...don't know who wrote it, but given to me by a teen lobster(wo)man - preferred term is lobsterman.
Captain’s 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my pilot, I shall not drift,
He lighteth me across the dark waters,
He keepeth my log.
He guideth me by the star of holiness, for His Name’s sake
Yea, though I sail ‘mid the thunders and tempests of life,
I shall dread no danger…

Today for the A to Z Challenge (click on tab above for over 1000 links to more participants) is the letter O.  And for those of you starting to paint the letter Q on your newly acquired lobster boats, well, you can keep painting that name "Quinellybelle" or "Quidley Squidly", BUT I FOUND ONE.  Yea!  Actually I found three, but I only have a picture of one.  So Friday is the big Q day...finally, I can almost rest.  Only one left.  Z.  But I have high hopes that a Zebra will show up!

The letter O, for "Obsession" and "Outlaw" and  "Outer Limits"
Obsession Yield to obsession This passion for sea Give in to its power Go where you must be!

Caught up with the catch
Moved by the motion
Wrapped up in its power
Obsessed with the ocean

Once you've been trapped
Your whole being, your will
Will not be released,
You now live for this thrill.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outlaw

 I've been banned as a companion
Like an untamed wild beas…

A to Z Challenge (see tab above or link to the right) and Slice of Life Tuesday today!

Three boats and three poems for today!
N is getting along in the alphabet.  I need a Q boat name for Friday!  And a U for next week, though I kind of found a U name... no picture, but a lobster boat name from years ago.
SO, if you have a boat you haven't named yet, I think you ought to name your boat Quick Quixote or Quilly Wonka...Ultra Sultry or Utterly Ugly...anything with a Q or a U!  Then paint the name on it, move to Maine, take a picture and send it to me.  That should be easy enough to do for next week.  And I think dedicated readers SHOULD be willing to do this, for the sake of blogging integrity.   Any Z name would be fine, also.   Suggestions:  Zed's Meds, Zealously Jealous.  Don't make me resort to buying my own fleet!   Oooh, a copy of PhotoShop would be cheaper!
No Time
There's no time to lose
The hours fly by
No time like the present
The wind and waves sigh.

At sea th…

Wow!  Five boats, five poems!  There were lots of M lobster boats that I found around here!

Check other A to Z posts by clicking on the link in the tab above! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Martha Ann No more traps and buoys
Just sumac and pine,
Grass waves, not seaweed;
I'm moored with a vine.

Grounded forever
Still proud as I rest
Adrift mid the trees
 The end of my quest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Morning Star
Bright and twinkly, morning star
Sunbeams fall just where you are
Out beyond the rocky shore
Take me where we've gone before ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Megan Jill

Our names tell a tale,  Of lives and our worlds,  The hopes and the dreams,  Our dearest of girls. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Girls
More than two women
To love for my life
My three loving daughters
And one loving wife
I'd write all their names
But too many there'd be
So it's shorter to say
I'm with My Girls at sea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary Anne II

My girl, Mary Anne, i…

Here's what you get today! 


I know it's hard not to look We're a handsome pair of gulls We are trustworthy through and through So you can stop looking now Stop watching It's okay to leave your lunch There In That Spot It will only be for a minute While you go check on something Really We are good gulls The best of the lot We promise to watch your lunch Just for you And no one will dare come near it For we are good gulls The best of the lot As we said before Really Go Check on it We will guard your lunch
Gone What's gone What do you mean it's gone We were just watching it Closely These are not Cheetos crumbs on Our lips We don't even have lips Our beaks are always orange
Anyway there's one left in the bag If you want it.

Lobster Boat Names from A to Z -  Click on the A-to-ZChallenge tab above to go links to more A to Z posts!
Today's post from me is brought to you by the letter L!   First up is "Lil Dipper" and below an original poem for her.  Then there is Lasca J, a slightly larger boat with her own original poem.

Lil Dipper                                            I'm a bobber, dobber, lobster boat
                                           Who bounces atop the sea
                                           I may look small but I'm no joke
                                           There's no one catches me!

                                           I'm a whipper, dipper, lobster clipper
                                           Who works a steady pace
                                           I may look cute but watch your back
                                           I'll beat you in any race!


Lasca J High water or low I'll push on the same Skimming…

It's Letter K Day for the A to Z Challenge (see tab above to go to more great A to Z posts), and it is Poetry Friday.  Thank you, Diane, at Random Noodling for hosting today.

The sea is my road;
The spray is my air;
The helm is my soul;
Coils of rope my hair.
My strength's in my hull;
My keel keeps me true;
From bow to the stern,  My heart is my crew.

Real sisters in life, companions we two;
The smaller the old, the larger the new.

A father and son will soon get us set;
 Prepare us for launch, when deadlines are met.

Keels in the water, bait in the traps
Sisters will dance again o'er the white caps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Educational Korner
knots - check here for some ways to tie knots

Keel = The central framing part in the bottom of a ship's hull
Lobstering can kill you, literally.  Ropes and moving traps are always a danger.  Fishermen always carry a knife for cutting lines in case a foot gets caught in the ropes and they get carried overboard with …

The day of J-ay.
And this first poem was a first poem, scheduled and ready to post.  Then I came back to it today (which is yesterday officially for you) to check and see what I had put together.  I wasn't satisfied with it.  So I started messing with it.  I was just going to add to it, but then before I knew it:
Cut.  Revise.  Cut.  Paste in a different spot.  Cut.  Add. Edit-Undo, Edit-Undo.  Rewrite.  Add.  Think. Think.  Admonition to self - "Stop thinking and just see, feel and write".  Cut a bit, move a bit.  Done.  Whoops!  One more word change.

So the first poem just under the picture is old, below ~~~~~~ is new and revised.

1.
The lobsterman's job To pass on to kin: The traps are hauled up And then tossed back in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.
With barnacled hands
Sand dollar skin
 Periwinkle eyes
And rocky hard chin
He’s  a part of the land
A part of the sea
 A heart for the deep and
For his family.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3.
Barnacled ha…

A to Z - Today is I.  Or should that be, today is me?  No, I.
This lobster boat is named after the two " girls" in the lobsterman's life, as is custom.
Named after women So dear in a life; One is his daughter, The other his wife.

Not together asea,
Yet never alone;
Adored adorn
To bring him home.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Educational Intermission
Indigo - sometimes, like once in 2 million times, you may see a blue lobster.  I've got to eat more lobster.  I think I'm about halfway to 2 million now and haven't seen one yet!

Each day in April, except for Sundays, we are challenged to write on a topic that begins with the letter of the day.  Sunday will have a poem maybe topic related or at least Maine stuff, but not assigned a letter.  Click on the AtoZ Challenge tab above and visit more bloggers participating in this alphabetically challenging month!

It's also Slice of Life Tuesday, so head over there when you are done here at the shore!
My topic is Maine Lobster Boat Names...with a Trawler or two thrown in for missing letters.  Photos are all taken by me, of boats on the coast here in Maine.  They are mostly on land, as this is where they are parked for the winter awaiting warmer days and lobsters to return from deeper waters.  It was fun driving around, jumping out of the car, snapping a picture and taking off to find the next one.

I love this boat!  It definitely looks happy!  Love the color.  It just seems to be smiling.

Warmer days Gulls winging Sun, fog, rain
Wind singing
Boat launch …

Today is G in the AtoZ Challenge.  Check out other AtoZ Challenge posts by clicking on the link in my tabs above.  There are so many interesting topics that bloggers have picked to write about each day except Sundays in the month of April.  Since it is also Poetry Month, I have elected to write at least a poem a day to do with my topic - lobster boats of Maine.  I found one for the letter G!  I'd been looking for quite some time for a boat with a name that started with G, so I was pretty excited when I happened upon this one.  I still have Q, U, X, and Z to find...but that's not too bad.  I'm still looking. 

The sea's predator -
So agile and quick,
Cutting and weaving,
Movements so slick; Low dipping gulls will Pick up any scraps Of whatever's tossed From the jaws of my traps.


Education Gallery:
Learn about the Great White Shark and Seagulls

I am posting for the A to Z Challenge every day this month, except Sundays.  I don't post on Sundays anyway, but I do schedule posts ahead for Sundays.  So here's a new poem for Sunday, an unalphabetically inclined post!  And it's not even lobstering.  But it is a Maine thing - wild turkeys.  Monday though, it's back to lobster boats.  So enjoy the interloping turkey interlude.


Look at me, I'm a turkey,
A turkey so proud;
I gibble and gabble
And gobble out loud.

To further impress,
Tail feathers I'll spread;
My head has turned blue
My wattle is red.

I look pretty fine!
Don't be looking at him!
I'm big and have shine -
Turkeys shouldn't be slim!

I'm a pretty good strutter;
     Please, don't ask me to fly.
          Okay, maybe later
                 I'll be catching your eye.

By the by, I can fly,
I really know how;
I just don't happen 
to want to right now!

Seventeen turkeys came strutting across our "lawn" last week.  There …

Each day in April, except for Sundays, we are challenged to write on a topic that begins with the letter of the day.  Because it is also Poetry Month, I have chosen, for the second year in a row, to write a poem a day.  Sunday will have a poem related to the topic, but not assigned a letter.  Click on the AtoZ Challenge tab above and visit more bloggers participating in this alphabetically challenging month!

My topic is Maine Lobster Boat Names...with a Trawler or two thrown in for missing letters.  Photos are all taken by me, of boats on the coast here in Maine.  They are mostly on land, as this is where they are parked for the winter awaiting warmer days and lobsters to return from deeper waters.

F is for Fantaseas -


White spilling over 
Water's reflection
Bouncing and sparkling
Dreamer's perfection.

The dream of the sea;
A true fantasy:
Salt spray, and sea gulls,
And my boat and me.


Deep is the yearning
To smell the salt air
To feel the salt spray
Foul weather …

Good grief!  It is also Poetry Friday!  I almost forgot this morning!  And I forgot to mention it here.  So click on the Poetry Friday link on the side or click here to go to more poetry links.

Each day in April, except for Sundays, we are challenged to write on a topic that begins with the letter of the day.  Because it is also Poetry Month, I have chosen, for the second year in a row, to write a poem a day.  Sunday will have a poem related to the topic, but not assigned a letter.  Click on the AtoZ Challenge tab above and visit more bloggers participating in this alphabetically challenging month!

My topic is Maine Lobster Boat Names...with a Trawler or two thrown in for missing letters.  Photos are all taken by me, of boats on the coast here in Maine.  They are mostly on land, as this is where they are parked for the winter awaiting warmer days and lobsters to return from deeper waters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Okay...so far I can't find an E all by itself…

Each day in April, except for Sundays, we are challenged to write on a topic that begins with the letter of the day.  Because it is also Poetry Month, I have chosen, for the second year in a row, to write a poem a day.  Sunday will have a poem related to the topic, but not assigned a letter.  Click on the AtoZ Challenge tab above and visit more bloggers participating in this alphabetically challenging month!

My topic is Maine Lobster Boat Names...with a Trawler or two thrown in for missing letters.  Photos are all taken by me, of boats on the coast here in Maine.  They are mostly on land, as this is where they are parked for the winter awaiting warmer days and lobsters to return from deeper waters.  So enjoy!  Here's D for Double Trouble =

 I may double your trouble
But I'll double the fun

Salting your mornings
Flavoring your days
Spicing up summers
With ocean sprays

Working from morning
Til eve's setting sun.


Educational Diversion: double - Two traps on a single buoy. …

You've towed me to Maine
I'm new in this range
And not only that
I'll have a name change.

Before I set out
Across the new water
I'll bear precious names
Of wife and of daughter.
reflections of
a name -
dreams,
loves,
all things dear -
matters of the heart
taken with you
for
reflections.

Education Corner ~

Lobstermen often name their boats after their wife and daughter, mother and wife, or two daughters, thus the two names on many boats.

The Crystal Gale was purchased in another state and will be undergoing a name change when she hits the water the first of May. 

The sides or capes at the mouth of a river, channel, harbor, or bay are chops.

A lobster is a crustacean.

A lobster missing one or both claws is a cull.
The minimum legal size for a lobster is 3 1/4 inches in carapace-length, which is from the eye socket to the beginning of the tail.  Shorts are thrown back into the water.