Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Poem: "Pull Your Ropes"

This is the freebie for the September 2011 Muse Fusion over on torn_world.  The driving rhythm is typical of working songs, which are designed to coordinate large groups.  They often play fast and loose with near-rhymes and true-rhymes, and some popular songs have many verses or versions.


Pull Your Ropes
-- a Duurludirj sea chantey


Clouds on the horizon --
Women, pull your ropes!
Now the wind is risin' --
Seamen, pull your ropes!

There's a storm a-coming --
Women, pull your ropes!
Hear the sails a-drumming --
Seamen, pull your ropes!

Batten down the hatches --
Women, pull your ropes!
Fasten all the latches --
Seamen, pull your ropes!

Rush and make her ready --
Women, pull your ropes!
We will hold her steady --
Seamen, pull your ropes!

Tags: cyberfunded creativity, fantasy, poem, poetry, reading, science fiction, torn world, writing
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  • 6 comments
red_trillium

red_trillium

September 18 2011, 07:14:38 UTC 9 years ago

I like the poetry and musicality you created with this chanty. It works well and you captured the feeling well.
ysabetwordsmith

Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

September 18 2011, 07:19:21 UTC 9 years ago

That's really good to hear. I appreciate the confirmation. I like sea chanteys; I have some in my collection of RenFaire music. Plus the cheese chantey that a friend wrote.

In Torn World, I like the Duurludirj because they have such a practical, go-get-'em approach to life. They are equally undaunted by facing a boat-sized monster or a half-continent-sized hurricane.