Mark Scrivener Poetry Blog No. 15 Dolphins Are Flowing

DOLPHINS ARE FLOWING

This poem was originally published in the NSW School Magazine.

Rhythmically it is based on the 4 syllable verse foot known as the Choriamb, that is Long (or stressed) and short (or unstressed) syllables in this pattern: Long short short long. Many of the lines also have an extra short at the end (long short short long short ) like the title. The point of this is that the swing of the poem determines how some lines would be read e.g. Through the blue ocean is meant to be heard as THROUGH the blue OCean or They are at home = THEY are at HOME not They ARE at HOME.

The poem was inspired by occasionally seeing dolphins in the ocean from beaches on the far north coast of NSW Australia. 



 

DOLPHINS ARE FLOWING

Dolphins are flowing
Through the blue ocean;
Glistening, glowing-
Swift is their motion.

Rising and leaping,
Suddenly seen;
Splashing and peeping
From the blue dream
Of the vast ocean-
Gleaming-grey, going
Like laughter flowing,
Swift is their motion.

Where the waves foam
On the wide sea;
Where the gulls roam,
Flying and free;
They are at home-
Where the ships sail
From every quarter;
Where the winds wail
Over wide water.

Where the long waves
Flow and up-well;
Where sunlight plays
On the wide swell-
Dolphins are going,
Gleaming and glowing,
Sliding and flowing,
Through the blue ocean;
Swift is their motion.