Personal Challenge ~ Helen

Greetings Toads!

Happy Summer (or Winter as the case may be)

Toad Ella has passed the challenge torch to me.  She has managed to pry me away from summer fun (craziness) with this challenge: 

"write a poem about your travels in life .. the magic of what you found.  Perhaps one of your fondest places and how it captivated.  Perhaps you could write it with a few map terms."  

(I failed miserably with the map terms, sorry.)

One would think after a long career in travel management, this would be a simple challenge for me.  {It wasn't}  Memories of countries I've visited, countless adventures, fascinating people, tradition and culture I've immersed myself in ~ all of those memories came flooding back.

Thank you Ella, for giving me pause to reflect  ~ and for trusting me with THE TORCH.

In April I sailed from the coast of Florida to Barcelona on Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam ~ my first Transatlantic cruise!  I've sailed more than a few times, voyages lasting seven or fewer days. Island hopping the Caribbean or cruising along the Mexican coastline tends to make one think (in an emergency) returning home would not be problematic.  I mean seriously .. it's not like you're smack dab in the middle of an ocean!!  Cruising for a fortnight feels different.  It took a while to settle in, relax .. let the waves take me where they would ~ now to the matter at hand, poetry.

Atlantic Bathymetric Map ~ using color to show ocean depth ~ wikipedia

Old Woman and the Sea

a slight rumble under my feet

barely discernible

ship horn deep, resonant

mooring lines released, setting sail

blowing kisses to strangers on shore

toasting them with champagne

sunbeams playing hide and seek

in my wind blown hair

drawing in a deep breath

staring as the gap between

ship, shoreline widens

feeling small, invisible

floating into a watery

unfathomable no-man's land

no turning back

no point of return

watching as we slice

through waves rising, falling

gentle swells stirring emotion  

seeker of peace, the ocean

sunlight fading to dark

night sky filled with stars

space traveler

spirit and soul floating free

mid ocean, miles from

 nearest sliver of land

surrounded by deck walkers

gourmet cooks, gamblers 

sweet friendships flourish

nothing remains hidden 

on this private island made

of steel and glitz

a fortnight to reflect

changed by the sea

i bid her farewell

we will meet again