Eileen B Wiltcher – Guest Poet
‘Poetry for me is an indescribable form of art that often arrives uninvited, refuses to go away until I give it a chance to become something and will likely drive me nuts trying to tame it. I love it.’
OCEAN by Eileen B Wiltcher
Indifferent ocean with tassle tipped fingers
spume flecked blue runnels
teasing the sand
turning, retreating and ever misleading
forever beguiling the sea fevered man.
Indifferent ocean, lilting bewitchment
supinely outstretched, close friend of the moon,
men call you heartless
but you cannot help it, your nature is fickle
you do as you choose.
Indifferent ocean, men cannot tame you,
the sun’s own chameleon, the tempest’s buffoon,
the racing star’s brother, dog star’s companion,
the sailors above you all dance to your tune.
Indifferent ocean, how men have loved you
enthralled by your power, your cyclical pull,
when placid or angry they strive to work with you
the salt in their veins will ever run blue.
Note:
On it, beside it, the sea mesmerises me,
to live close to it is a long held dream.
PSALM OF A BOAT YARD RELIC by Eileen B Wiltcher
This yearning for the sea, unbearable,
it seeps inside the driftwood of my bones,
washing the ribs that contain me.
I do not crave the sun but need
to lap the dampness of the spray,
to taste the salt, the welcome tangy air.
Let me still hear the gull’s harsh caw.
The roar of a shingle beach is calling me.
Leave me to meld with the green and the grey
under a cloudy rain soaked sky.
Now last, before the long voyage starts
let night’s first star shine down on me.
Notes:
Whenever I am by a river or the sea and come across a
derelict boat I am so sad. I know once they were treasured-
I feel every boat has a heart and should go out on it’s last
journey.
Contact Eileen via FaceBook; https://www.facebook.com/EileenBWiltcher/
Bio:
Born in Plaistow, 1934, moving to Priory Road East Ham in 1937, Eileen loved the hustle and bustle of the community around her but war came and devastated the East End, so the family moved across the Thames to Welling, where she discovered the Library. After the war Eileen was educated at Bexley Technical School and fell in love with drama and poetry. Achieving her commercial training she found that most offices preferred her tea making to her 125 wpm shorthand. Married in 1957 to Alan, she was offered the chance to write a Ladies Page in a popular Scootering Magazine which she did for a number of years. Their two daughters Lisa Marie and Victoria Clare were born in 1963 and 69 after which they opened their first bookshop – working with teachers and children. Last year Eileen published her first book “A Spanner in the Works” but confesses her first love is poetry
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A great pairing of poems Eileen, their dovetailing stories and images are perfectly lovely. Thank you and Thank you Miriam for inviting Eileen and sharing her poetry.
Thank you for your comment, Jane. I will pass the mon to Eileen. Best Miriam