Birth Of The ‘Shepherdess’
The ‘Shepherdess’ arrived at
Constant Bay on Sunday
afternoon 1879 31st August
sea calm virtually no wind
but no harbourmaster on duty
she lay off the entrance harbour
until the following morning
awaiting signalled to enter port
light breeze weather fine clear
attempting to tow the schooner
‘Shepherdess’ into port
through narrow rocky entrance
using a dinghy surf boat
to secure anchorage mooring rocks
suddenly a large wave swamped
stout dinghy threw
Thomas Bailie, Charles Craddock
into tidal sea surge
Bailie managed to clamber back
into surf boat then pulled dragged
Charles Craddock
back in but tragically immediately
a second wave smashed
into the boat, overturned the boat
again two men are thrown into surf
what wave force
second wave overturned the dinghy
impossible to right
no option but try to swim for shore
pounding surf smashed valiant efforts
into ocean inlet
floor time time again, each try time
it hope appeared
they might reach safety, wild breakers
drove two back, while crowd watched
life drama helplessly
two men struggled, desperately constantly
for their mortal lives
none attempted, dive into boiling waters
none thought to throw hope a rope
a large crowd gathered
perhaps none could swim wild tide
finally a rope was found
they tried to throw to struggling men
three times four more rope was flung
delay was to late
weak limbs could not grab last hope
too late too late
Thomas Bailie made a desperate lunge
for last life spent ebb hope the rope
gasps watchers eyes
Bailie starfish clings hung with tenacity
a man who surely knew
to release life thread was to brine drown
Bailie was dragged from sea by watchers
on a rocky shore
but Charles Craddock was spent exhausted
by fearsome struggle
could not swim in could not swim reach rope
Charles sank beneath waves once twice
re-surfaced struggles
struggles shoreward struggles Charles sank
below waves third
time last time Charles was gone lost lost...
to a brine grave while wild breakers
breaking broadside
across the ‘Shepherdess’ bumped
schooner toward port
good news tragedy overshadowed
Charles Craddock in death left a wife
three children in 1879
body swept away never recovered
a fortnight accident after
a leg was washed ashore duly buried
this leg was buried in Charleston cemetery
a belief in Craddock family
maintains though event was not recorded
in cemetery burial records
Constant Bay life lost in adverse conditions.
See also the poem ‘Where Unknown Ancestors Died’.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Related quotes
Washed Ashore In Ages Past
two weeks later a leg
washed ashore
to be buried at
Charleston cemetery
New Zealand
to be buried as
presumably
the partial remains
of an ancestor
who drowned
needlessly
while attempting
to tow a schooner
through narrow
tidal rocky entrance
heroic rescue
of drowning man
none attempted
doomed to failure
a life lost legend
a drowned memory
leg of lost meaning
half history forgotten
until this brief epitaph
to family I do restore
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Friend-Ship
My friendship is sinking,
I'm bailing out water as fast as I can,
Move too quickly the boat will tip over,
Move too slowly the faster it will sink,
Seconds away from abandoning ship,
But there's land in sight,
So close to shore,
Tying a rope to the boat,
Jumping into the water,
The water is so cold,
Pulling the boat to shore,
Moving too slowly,
Waves threatening to take the boat away,
Waves threatening to take me away,
Suddenly the shore seems so far away,
Waves fill the boat with water,
The burden of the weight of the water,
Becomes unbearable,
The rope is pulled out of my hands,
And the boat sinks,
Pulling me under,
I swim to the surface,
Swim to shore,
Once on shore I look back,
There is nothing left of the Friend-ship
poem by Mandy Author
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Friend-Ship
My friendship is sinking,
I'm bailing out water as fast as I can,
Move too quickly the boat will tip over,
Move too slowly the faster it will sink,
Seconds away from abandoning ship,
But there's land in sight,
So close to shore,
Tying a rope to the boat,
Jumping into the water,
The water is so cold,
Pulling the boat to shore,
Moving too slowly,
Waves threatening to take the boat away,
Waves threatening to take me away,
Suddenly the shore seems so far away,
Waves fill the boat with water,
The burden of the weight of the water,
Becomes unbearable,
The rope is pulled out of my hands,
And the boat sinks,
Pulling me under,
I swim to the surface,
Swim to shore,
Once on shore I look back,
There is nothing left of the Friend-ship
poem by Mandy Author2
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Where Unknown Ancestors Died
at indifferent mercy bestowed
by time tide wind
have many sailing ships sailed
to past distant lands
awaiting perilous mist coastlines
locals know a quiet scenic place
deceptive inlet harbour
where ebb rip drowned swimmer
out to sea be swift sucked
body never to be washed ashore
myths lost imbue tidal surround
landfall peril an ancestor
colonial here lived legend depicted
a captain harbour master
drowned here a century more ago
Copyright © Terence George Craddock
See also the poem ‘Birth Of The ‘Shepherdess’.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Surfin'
Surfin' is the only life
The only way for me.
Now surf, surf (surfin') with me
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Surfin' is the only life
The only way for me.
Now surf, surf (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip
Bom bom dit di dit dip
Bom bom dit di dit dip
Bom bom dit di dit dip
I got up this mornin' turned on my radio
I was checkin' on the surfin' scene
To see if i would go
And when the dj tells me that the surfin' is fine
That's when i know my baby and i will have a good time
Surfin' is the only life
The only way for me.
Now surf, surf (surfin') with me
From the early morning to the middle of the night
Any time the surf is up the time is right
And when the surf is down and things get lazy
We'll do the surfer's stomp that's when the surfers go crazy
Surfin' is the only life
The only way for me.
Now surf, surf (surfin') with me
Now the dawn is breaking and we really gotta go
But we'll be back here very soon that you better know
You know my surfer knots are rising and my board is losing wax
(yeah yeah hey now)
But that won't stop me baby cause you know i'm coming back
Surfin' is the only life
The only way for me.
Now surf, surf (surfin') with me
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Surfin' is the only life the only way for me
Now come on pretty baby and surf with me
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
Bom bom dit di dit dip (surfin')
song performed by by Beach Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Sea Loving People
The true sea loving people never live far from the sea
They pine if the ocean they can't hear or see
The feel of the sea spray where the wild breakers roar
Where huge waves pound the stony cliffs overlooking the shore.
They can only live near to where the surf waves roll
And to them the breath of the sea air is good for the soul
In towns by the ocean they grow old and gray
From salt-water they could not live far away.
The sea loving people enjoy the coastal sunshine
Inland from the ocean they surely would pine
To live two miles from the ocean for them does seem far
Though in distance that only a short drive by car.
The sea loving people love the rumble of the big surf waves
In cemetery close to the cliffs are their ancestors graves
They would pine if they could not hear the sea breakers roar
They only could live in towns near the Sea-shore.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Working Metaphore
Work is like an island in an ocean of time
Landing on this shore felt like paradise
But the island is small and quickly grows boring
I am standing in the water, looking out as I work
Time passes in portions of half an hour
Wave upon wave of life slipping down the tide-line
I am deciding whether to let go and wash away with it
Or hold on and climb the beach again
How many islands are in this ocean?
I gaze out and see a few just waiting for me
Can I swim to them, will they take me?
In the water between them, is there love lurking?
Changes are on the horizon, as a tsunami
Rolling towards this island invisibly, towards me
None of the islands will survive it, I fear
Or maybe only I will be washed away into oblivion
Tick, splash, tick, splash, wave upon wave of half hours
Carrying me just a little further from the dry sand
Behind me, the managers are calling from the trees
I hesitate for a moment, and let the waves wash over me
Only a few more, and I can swim for a while,
I might ride the changes to a far away place if I'm swimming
In the water I can meet another, to drown my regrets of the last
The waves wash over me, and I wait for the tide to swim
poem by Poet Dragon
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Rocking on the Bay of Bengal
Standing on the sea-board,
I stared out to the bay
and got gripped into the fears
as the frothing waves were lashing against
the boat, arranged for our trip around.
When a strong wave was surging,
our fisher-folk lugged the boat into the sea,
and called us all to jump into it.
The sea was calm to them being tamed,
but the waves were hissing at us.
We were holding tight a rope
that moved the boat straight over the waves.
The engine at the back
gave momentum to the tiny vessel
and succor to our hope of easy sail.
We were heading towards the open sea
sailing across the thoughts of wonder.
Some sea-urchins were hovering around us
But we were warned not to touch them
as it would cause itching all over the body.
Our boat went off a place of swirls.
“If we get into it, full fathom five
we will go down and lie”-they smiled.
We pleaded them to turn back.
They stopped the engine
and the boat was rocked
on a blue expanse of water.
I felt how could I have fallen asleep
When my mother swung me in the cradle
tied at the branch of a Neem tree in our garden,
singing songs of folk and myth.
Tears welled from my eyes!
“ We would dropp anchor in the bay
and kip for a while on the boat at night
dreaming dreams of wonder and horror”,
Our fisher-folk said and brought us ashore.
poem by Rajendran Muthiah
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Sang froid
The earl picked up an early peach
Then walked alone to the beach.
He sailed away in a little boat
Leaving behind a one line note.
I will be back by five o’clock,
Said the writing on the lock.
But a huge wave had sunk his boat
Forcing him to swim in his coat.
Still, by five he arrived at home,
Changed to dry clothes, read a tome.
Then to his wife he said smiling:
Wet Ocean, but swim was trifling.
poem by Paul Hartal
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The Rope
(stephanie davis)
In waters calm I sailed from shore
To see what I might see
And having never sailed before
I drifted aimlessly
A warm breeze rocked my boat until
In slumber I fell sound
But woke to find the light grown dim
And dark clouds gathering round
In haste I worked at turning back
But now the wind blew wrong
And when the night came cold and black
My strength was almost gone
But with one last small thread of hope
I bowed my head to pray
Then through the dark I saw a rope
And heard a calm voice say
Grab the rope
Hold it tight
In the distance
Shines a light
Neither fear
Nor feel alone
There is one
Wholl lead you home
I heard my heart beat loud and fast
But did as I was told
And with the rosey dawn at last
Dry land I did behold
I kissed the sandy banks and swore
My sailing days were through
But should I ever stray from shore
I know now what to do
Grab the rope
Hold it tight
In the distance
Shines a light
Neither fear
Nor feel alone
There is one
Wholl lead you home
Grab the rope
Hold it tight
In the distance
Shines a light
Neither fear
Nor feel alone
There is one
Wholl lead you home
song performed by by Martina Mcbride
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Boat On The Charles
Boat on the charles
Train on a spur down by the riverside
The doors open wide
Planes in a line just seven miles away
They leave every day
And someones always going south
A guy with a truck here about is going new years eve
Why dont you leave
Why dont I leave
I cant make myself believe
No one really cares for me here
I cant make no sense of this place and I fear
I cant spend another day without hearing from you
Throw my life away and pass my body through into the charles
Boat on the charles
Bird on a wire outside my window pane
Its started to rain
Buses in line just seven blocks away
They leave every day
And someones always asking me why I cant seem
To make myself see
That you wont answer me
Why dont you leave
Why dont I leave
How many times can a man be told
How many times before I lose control
I dont give a damn for my immortal soul
Its just about time I let my insides show
So here I go
song performed by by Todd Rundgren
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Charles Akalaonu
Wher are you Charles Akalaonu?
Where are you to read my muse?
I have beeen searching everywhere to find you;
Charles Akalaonu where are you?
I hope to find you one day,
I hope to meet you one day,
I hope to see you one day
Maybe one day you will read this poem.
Where are you Charles Akalaonu?
Maybe one day your children will read this poem;
Charles Akalaonu where are you?
Maybe one day your siblings will read this poem;
Say hello to your wife and children,
Great the entire members of your family as well;
Maybe one day you will read this poem.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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The Way Of The Wind
The wind's way in the deep sky's hollow
None may measure, as none can say
How the heart in her shows the swallow
The wind's way.
Hope nor fear can avail to stay
Waves that whiten on wrecks that wallow,
Times and seasons that wane and slay.
Life and love, till the strong night swallow
Thought and hope and the red last ray,
Swim the waters of years that follow
The wind's way.
poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne
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Surf's Up Tonight On Magic Island
We walk along the distant shoreline
The waves crash upon the shore
The palm trees sway in the breeze
Leaving the magic of the night in the air for the both of us
The waves are just right
So let's grab our boards
Hit the sea
And grab a wave tonight
Surf's up tonight on Magic Island
And we'll smile and laugh
Like we have not a care in the world
We'll just ride the waves
And hope for this time between you and I to be saved
poem by Justin Gildow
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Spirit of Love - The Little Crustacean
transparent, white
but the lines distinct
the little crustacean
the little prawn
so little it touches
the softest spot of my heart
throw it back
throw it back
the world screams to me
in each successive wave
the breeze soothes
my ruffled feeling
halcyon day
everything peaceful, calm
the little prawn
waves to me
as i take a look
at it again
wanting to be my friend?
its life and death
in my hand
in my hold
i let it lose
into the vast sea
this time feeling myself
tiny as it is
in this wheel of life
trillion, zillion
like the lines
of the shimmering waves
buddha sits in infinity
teaches about the hereafter
each of us in this realm
taking turns to be each other
the good, the bad and the ugly
the role cast by love and hate in the hearts
the wave heralds my spirit of love
as the little prawn swims free
out of my sight
the wind carresses my face
the waves gently lap onto my hands and off
the ebb and tide of life
i know too that someday
somewhere, somebody would
let me lose too from predicardments,
tribulations
INSPIRED FROM
Dream Within A Dream
==================
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
Edgar Allan Poe
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Drowned Within Lea Of Land
at indifferent mercy bestowed
by time tide wind
have many sailing ships sailed
to past distant lands
awaiting perilous mist coastlines
where storm raging
awaiting submerged shipwreck rocks
turn of rushing tide
left a wave of grief in their leave
to endure survive
an ocean crossing die within land lea
Copyright © Terence George Craddock
lea - a meadow or sward land; a grassy field; common land; a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock.
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea. -Gray.
First five lines quoted from the poem ‘Where Unknown Ancestors Died’ by Terence George Craddock.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Cavalier Tunes: Give a Rouse
King Charles, and who'll do him right now?
King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?
Give a rouse: here's, in Hell's despite now,
King Charles!
Who gave me the goods that went since?
Who raised me the house that sank once?
Who helped me to gold I spent since?
Who found me in wine you drank once?
(Chorus)
King Charles, and who'll do him right now?
King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?
Give a rouse: here's, in Hell's despite now,
King Charles!
To whom used my boy George quaff else,
By the old fool's side that begot him?
For whom did he cheer and laugh else,
While Noll's damned troopers shot him?
(Chorus)
King Charles, and who'll do him right now?
King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?
Give a rouse: here's, in Hell's despite now,
King Charles!
poem by Robert Browning
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Give a Rouse
I
King Charles, and who'll do him right now?
King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?
Give a rouse: here's, in hell's despite now,
King Charles!
II
Who gave me the goods that went since?
Who raised me the house that sank once?
Who helped me to gold I spent since?
Who found me in wine you drank once?
Chorus. King Charles, and who'll do him right now?
King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?
Give a rouse: here's, in hell's despite now,
King Charles!
III
To whom used my boy George quaff else,
By the old fool's side that begot him?
For whom did he cheer and laugh else,
While Noll's damned troopers shot him?
Chorus. King Charles, and who'll do him right now?
King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?
Give a rouse: here's, in hell's despite now,
King Charles!
poem by Robert Browning from Cavalier Tunes (1842)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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I Had Been To This Sea Sometime Before (Catena Rondo)
I had been to this sea sometime before
where water stretch out beyond from the bay,
it had been on a tranquil summer day,
I had been to this sea sometime before
where water stretch out beyond from the bay,
the surge swells before it crushing breaks
while a tiny boat rocks upon the wake
where water stretch out beyond from the bay,
the surge swells before it crushing breaks
with some shells and sand swept out everywhere
before deeper in the water we both dare,
the surge swells before it crushing breaks
with some shells and sand swept out everywhere
while you smile in a way that I adore
we hear the thundering on a distant shore
with some shells and sand swept out everywhere
while you smile in a way that I adore,
we both swim through the crashing pull and flow
trying to find a way back, a way to go,
while you smile in a way that I adore
we both swim through the crashing pull and flow
it feels if our world is suddenly gone
while still together we do struggle on
we both swim through the crashing pull and flow
it feels if our world is suddenly gone
while we do see only the sky and sea,
we are trying to get back, to be free,
it feels if our world is suddenly gone
while we do see only the sky and sea,
we are blinded by a distant kind of sun,
hear the engine of a fishing boat run
while we do see only the sky and sea,
we are blinded by a distant kind of sun,
as an unknown, sheltering bay we reach,
as we both stagger out upon a beach
we are blinded by a distant kind of sun,
as an unknown, sheltering bay we reach,
we embrace and you stroke my hair gently;
a rich boat owner looks at you, smiles at me,
as an unknown, sheltering bay we reach,
we embrace and you stroke my hair gently,
we ride on a boat that rocks up and down,
but still we are in a world our very own
we embrace and you stroke my hair gently
we ride on a boat that rocks up and down,
I had been to this sea sometime before,
while we kiss each other and kiss some more;
we ride on a boat that rocks up and down,
I had been to this sea sometime before
where water stretch out beyond from the bay,
it had been on a tranquil summer day;
I had been to this sea sometime before.
poem by Gert Strydom
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The Sea So Deep
the sea so deep
it never sleeps
by day or night
it lives on the fight
against the rocky coast
which is its host
rushing ramming
against its side
then it (wave water) does
a quick fast dive.
down below
its calmer there
for no waves roll
way down here
ocean surge
current swell
foaming water
tales to tell
marine life dwells
in tidal margins
lunar pull water turns
undercurrents chargin
Copyright © Terence George Craddock
Poetic fragment surviving lines 1–14 written when I was thirteen.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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