Something short today! Yay!
This poem is in response to Colleen Chesebro’s #Tanka Tuesday challenge. It needed to include synonyms for Eager & Hope provided by Sally Cronin. It’s a syllabic poem called a Double Ennead consisting of 3 stanzas with syllables 6/5/11/6/5.
My goal was to capture the theme of my current WIP: The Ferryman and the Sea Witch.
The Sea Witch’s Bargain
Beware a dark bargain
A craft of desire
Conspired with the merrow’s silver-tailed witch
Her golden-tongued harpoon
Bristles with veiled barbs
She feasts on treasure-dreams
Conjured from sea beds
Her oaths, leviathans steeped in deception
Plunged in mountainous waves
She drowns the reckless
Or forsake her plunder
Mortal in the brine
A quiet heart surrenders to airlessness
Clasping pearls of courage
Deep in love redeemed
Myths of the Mirror 
This is really wonderful! And I’ll have to agree with Ju-Lyn — no matter how powerful a sea witch may be, there is something sad about that power. Maybe a sea witch is not as free as we’d think?
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Wasn’t that a great comment. My mermaids are rather happy beings, a bit on the amoral side, but happy in their element. The sea witch’s burden is protecting them from humans, and that would make anyone cranky. Not easy. So I completely agree.
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It was a great comment. It summed up what I felt while reading your poem. Good idea for any of those witch types we like to write. One would think that with their powers they could have anything they wanted. But they always seem to be lacking something…
And of course responsibility can make a witch cranky!
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I find something very haunting and wistful about the plight of sea witches despite the malevolent nature of her craft.
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What an interesting comment, Ju-Lyn. And in the book, so there is. In my story they are almost like mirrors, so better to be careful what you wish for. Thanks so much for the wonderful comment. Have a lovely weekend. 🙂
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Ah! Mirrors. Not always what we want to see, but there you have it.
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I’d be so intimidated by the form but you grabbed it by your writer’s teeth and gave us a sea witch to BEWARE!!! Well done 👏 xo
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Ha ha ha. You wouldn’t have any problem with it, I’m sure, Pam. I think everything you write is wonderful. 😀 And yes, don’t make any bargains with the sea witch! There’s always a catch! Have a wonderful weekend, my friend.
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I really love the perspectives you and I show in our fantasies, Diana. You write of sea witches and I write of mermaids. Different sides of the same coin. 🙃🤓
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Hee hee. You made me laugh. My sea witch isn’t all bad. She’s just sneaky. 🙂
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🧜🏼♀️ 😜
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This poem is amazing. Your awesome Diana.
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Thank you for reading, Holly. I enjoy these syllabic challenges and added the book condensing on top of that. Always fun to play with words! Hugs. ❤
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I worried about the crew on the ship already with this cold-blooded, heartless Sea Witch. Now you made me wonder if they would bargain with her. Your poems amazed me, Diana!
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Thanks, Miriam. This is a loyal crew, but they get tested for sure. 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the poem. I’m deep into WIP edits right now, as well as looking forward to Spring. Happy Travels. Enjoy your family time. 😀
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Congratulations on your progress, Diana. I always enjoy your poems. My orange tree has hundreds of blossoms and I see some news bees getting busy. The plum blossoms also started. I hope we’ll have a few hours of clear sky with no rain around noon time on Saturday for the party. 🎂🥳
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Well, it’s pouring right now. Ugh. But this is Oregon, so you might have a bright sunny party. It will be wonderful either way! Hugs to all.
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Thank you. It happened. Two years ago when we headed out to the pumpkin patch, it was pouring. When we got to the destination, there was no sign of rain.
We’re moving to a school with covered area. Just in case it’ll still be raining. It would be their first gathering with 30+ people… 🎂🥳💖
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I hope you had a wonderful time. ❤
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We did, Diana. Nora dug her hand into the little birthday cake and grabbed a handful to put it in her mouth. It was her first time eating sweets. 💖
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Ha ha. I hope someone caught it on video!
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I did for quite a few seconds. Probably I let her eat more than I should have!
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LOL. I’m sure she loved it.
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🥳🎂
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The weather was good during the party. It started raining by the time we were packing up!! 🎂💖
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Besides your being an amazing wordsmith tackling challenges after challenges and producing very nicely, this particular like sprayed me like a mist “A quiet heart surrenders to airlessness.” I’m intrigued by your short tanka rendering of your much longer book and who isn’t curious about a particular Sea Witch’s Bargain?
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“Line not like”
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Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Ka. I do enjoy a word-challenge and sometimes I like to add them together to make them even harder! Lol. I’m glad you liked the poem. The book is making some progress, too. Have a wonderful day, my friend.
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Wow! This is outstanding, Diana!!
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Thanks so much, Jennie. I do enjoy these poetry challenges. I’m glad you enjoyed this one. Be well, my friend. Happy Thursday!
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Always a treat to read what you write, Diana. Always. 🙂
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