Resting through a cold, while breathless,
he lay in a reverie of lassitude,
Knowing the pure pleasure of
a good excuse for sloth,
And, drifting into that lethean land,
saw himself lying on the sand
By a grotto, when from behind a pillar
seductively stepped a nubile nymph,
Clothed only in the breeze
and a garland of golden kelp.
As she approached, she dissolved
into a dog who shook herself
Into a storm of salty drops
while seals on their cozy shelves
Bayed and barked their laughter,
awakening him to the pressing need
To breathe and find his way
back to his blue-skyed world.
The image came from this site.
What fun this is! And the poem has me look up “lethean,–always a plus to learn a new word. “the pure pleasure of a good excuse for sloth” … what a true confession for us constricted still by the work ethic, even in retirement and elderhood. “the nubile nymph” reminds me of “The Girl from Ipanema” song: “And as she passes, each boy she passes goes Ahhh.” The youthful surge still alive in each of us, like Don Quixote. And I note, even the form of the lines shows that breeze blowing through the scene. Lovely.
It’s a sweet poem that tenders the heart, a reminder of the dear hope of beauty that still warms us in the blue-skyed (and sometimes gray) life.
Despite seals slow nature when there are no fish around. I think it’s fascinating to see them around life fish. Because you see them move at an extremely fast pace. Every minute they sloth when fish are not around is so they can have the energy to dive fast for their food.
Bluster & Absurdity 
What fun this is! And the poem has me look up “lethean,–always a plus to learn a new word. “the pure pleasure of a good excuse for sloth” … what a true confession for us constricted still by the work ethic, even in retirement and elderhood. “the nubile nymph” reminds me of “The Girl from Ipanema” song: “And as she passes, each boy she passes goes Ahhh.” The youthful surge still alive in each of us, like Don Quixote. And I note, even the form of the lines shows that breeze blowing through the scene. Lovely.
It’s a sweet poem that tenders the heart, a reminder of the dear hope of beauty that still warms us in the blue-skyed (and sometimes gray) life.
Thanks for sharing, Eric!
Despite seals slow nature when there are no fish around. I think it’s fascinating to see them around life fish. Because you see them move at an extremely fast pace. Every minute they sloth when fish are not around is so they can have the energy to dive fast for their food.
When have I ever been shy about fussing over your poems.
Hmm… Hard question to answer when you’re anonymous!