“Ocean Tales,” by Laura Purdie Salas [Poetry Friday]

view cop(R(. I’m sharing an unpublished poem today, one I originally wrote as part of the collection that became BookSpeak! Poems About Books (Clarion, 2011).? I hope you like it!

Ocean Tales
Each book is a drop in an ocean of choices, A glimpse of a maybe that someday might be. A watery world full of murmuring voices? We whisper you in to the slow-rolling sea.
Come wade into water, through silvery swellers, Where currents will swirl through dark-water tales Of octopus races and black-cavern dwellers And angelfish birthdays and emerald sails.
When storms begin greying and spindrift is spraying, Just lie back and trust in the words of the deep. We’ll swing you along ?til you’re glad you are staying, And after The End, we will rock you to sleep.
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

And here I am reading this poem: I’m going to share a bit about my writing process for this poem next week. Meanwhile, Anastasia Suen at Poet! Poet! has the Poetry Friday Roundup today–as a Pinterest board! Enjoy!

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62 Responses

    1. Thank you, Liz! Those are the lines that really tell what books meant to me as a kid…

    1. Thank you, Liz! Those are the lines that really tell what books meant to me as a kid…

    1. Thanks, Amy! I struggle with whimsical, fantastical elements in poems. They don’t come naturally to me at all. So glad this one worked!

    1. Thanks, Amy! I struggle with whimsical, fantastical elements in poems. They don’t come naturally to me at all. So glad this one worked!

  1. So glad you shared this with us. I love the ocean metaphor (lots of watery thoughts lately, right?) and always love another book poem! Thanks, Laura!

  2. So glad you shared this with us. I love the ocean metaphor (lots of watery thoughts lately, right?) and always love another book poem! Thanks, Laura!

  3. Beautiful! And a fresh metaphor for the effects of story. My favorite line: “Just lie back and trust in the words of the deep.” Thanks, Laura

    1. Thanks, Jane. I’m going to Fla. next weekend and hope for a quick visit to the beach…

  4. Beautiful! And a fresh metaphor for the effects of story. My favorite line: “Just lie back and trust in the words of the deep.” Thanks, Laura

    1. Thanks, Jane. I’m going to Fla. next weekend and hope for a quick visit to the beach…

  5. I love the way the ess sounds in this poem mimic the sound of the ocean. Beautiful to read and hear! Thanks for sharing it.
    I wonder why this poem didn’t make it into the ocean of Bookspeak! choices…would love to hear your thoughts on why a poem is included or not in a collection. Maybe you’ve already written a blogpost about this?

    1. Thanks, Buffy. Here’s how I answered Matt (above–I was reading most to least recent): “I can?t remember the particulars, but we had to cut several (they only wanted 18 or so poems), and I think the tone of this one felt?different from the others. I was kind of sad, because this one feels a bit magical to me, but there ya go!” That would be a good topic for a post, though. Hmmm…

  6. I love the way the ess sounds in this poem mimic the sound of the ocean. Beautiful to read and hear! Thanks for sharing it.
    I wonder why this poem didn’t make it into the ocean of Bookspeak! choices…would love to hear your thoughts on why a poem is included or not in a collection. Maybe you’ve already written a blogpost about this?

    1. Thanks, Buffy. Here’s how I answered Matt (above–I was reading most to least recent): “I can?t remember the particulars, but we had to cut several (they only wanted 18 or so poems), and I think the tone of this one felt?different from the others. I was kind of sad, because this one feels a bit magical to me, but there ya go!” That would be a good topic for a post, though. Hmmm…

  7. The layers of rich textured words is wonderful
    The word flow like the waves of the water

  8. The layers of rich textured words is wonderful
    The word flow like the waves of the water

  9. Always enjoy hearing you read your work. Lovely rhythm, images and diction in this one.

  10. Always enjoy hearing you read your work. Lovely rhythm, images and diction in this one.

  11. The wild water woman in me is soothed by your beautiful words, Laura. Such a lovely poem. I included Bookspeak as part of my text-set for a higher-degree course I am teaching on the use of multicultural children’s books to promote socioemotional learning. I hope Ocean Tales is found in Water Can Be. 🙂

    1. Aw, thank you, Myra! I am honored to have BOOKSPEAK on your list. Ocean Tales doesn’t live in any book, and now that I’ve shared it here, I pry can’t submit it to many mags, either. Oh well. Lovely to share it with my online friends.

  12. The wild water woman in me is soothed by your beautiful words, Laura. Such a lovely poem. I included Bookspeak as part of my text-set for a higher-degree course I am teaching on the use of multicultural children’s books to promote socioemotional learning. I hope Ocean Tales is found in Water Can Be. 🙂

    1. Aw, thank you, Myra! I am honored to have BOOKSPEAK on your list. Ocean Tales doesn’t live in any book, and now that I’ve shared it here, I pry can’t submit it to many mags, either. Oh well. Lovely to share it with my online friends.

  13. I can’t believe that didn’t make it into the book, Laura…it’s gorgeous! I wonder, what was the editor’s rationale?

    1. I can’t remember the particulars, but we had to cut several (they only wanted 18 or so poems), and I think the tone of this one felt…different from the others. I was kind of sad, because this one feels a bit magical to me, but there ya go!

  14. I can’t believe that didn’t make it into the book, Laura…it’s gorgeous! I wonder, what was the editor’s rationale?

    1. I can’t remember the particulars, but we had to cut several (they only wanted 18 or so poems), and I think the tone of this one felt…different from the others. I was kind of sad, because this one feels a bit magical to me, but there ya go!

    1. Yeah, being an anthologist must be very tricky. I would be saying, “No, I want ALL the poems!”

    1. Yeah, being an anthologist must be very tricky. I would be saying, “No, I want ALL the poems!”

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