A la recherche du temps perdu
With wooden bow knifing a cobalt sea,
Taut canvas pocketing the breath of God,
The Essex sets sail for the hunting ground.
A mere 20 miles off of Buzzard’s Bay
One hundred, fifty years slips away
And Cap’n Pollard’s blood courses my veins.
Down to the sea in ships.
What was glory then lives only in story now.
Ahab tracks his leviathan in dusty solitude
While in dreams I sail my ancestors’ wake.
Author’s note: The Essex, sailing under Captain George Pollard in 1820, was the inspiration for Melville’s “Moby Dick.”
An excerpt from my book, “A Mixed Bag.”
rixlibris 
Can one really capture lost time and past? A futile venture. I enjoy the imagery of sailing in dreams hoping that it’s to a lovely destination 😉
Thank you for your comment. I have fond memories of our summer place on Cape Cod, only at the time I called it “grandma’s house” and didn’t realize just how special it really was.
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I love the poem, and the stories it refers to are fantastic! Moby Dick, the Heart of the Sea, the Essex, wow! Great stories!
Northeastern beaches of Cape Cod, Nantucket Island, Block Island, Long Island, are all made for wonderful summers and loads of fun. I had lots of great times up that way too.
Thanks. I’m glad that you liked the poem. Poor Captain Pollard. After the episode with the Essex and then losing his next vessel, he was declared a “jinx” and couldn’t find another command. Still, I suppose that was better than Captain Ahab’s fate.