Whether you find your inspiration in others, within one's self, or
from the spark of divinity itself please do capture the moment in
an expression of what ever talents you possess. How else will
anyone know? Inspire others by sharing inspired creativity.
After becoming inspired while listening to Rowers Mark and then
writing the poem posted here:
https://steemit.com/poetry/@noone/inspired-creativity-the-poem-inspired-1
I was furthermore inspired to put down this following story as it occurred to me
at the time of writing, spontaneously, capturing the moment of the story as it
formed in my vision. I have put a few minor changes to word and phrase
selection to polish it but otherwise, as spontaneously written in the moment.
Here is the story followed by another selection of Basia Bulat's Inspiring music.
I will call it:
Ocean Goddess
The Captain looked me square in the eyes and gave his final order, “I’ll drop anchor to pull us to the side, you’ll have only a few seconds between waves to close the forward hold. Tighten your laces, you will need a sure foot. If you take more than a minute we will go down at the next big wave”
His eyes glistened in the dim light, we both knew what this meant, the burden of command. There was no comfort for this, no apology or sorry it has to be you sentiments. Just do your job then die, or not. Die a hero, or live as a coward, mutiny and be thrown over anyway. The boots though, they take men down before they can get them off and back up to surface. Not that it would matter in these wild waters where no sane captain dared. There was more to this decision, surely, without doubt.
I looked at the other men, they looked back with that look men get when they know one of their own is being sent to an ending. I knew that look, having looked that look myself. Duty and honor, some kinds of men are not worth dying for. These were honorable men despite any human flaws.
I laced my inappropriate boots then turned to look for any further orders. The Captain addressed me one more time, “Wait on deck, when you see the anchor drop you go as fast as you can, I’ll try to wait for the longest calm between waves but we can’t wait long or we are done for.”
I went down to the deck, immediately I removed the heavy boots that would be a sure death in the water, as well as any water absorbing clothing. Mind racing, anticipating the wave that would carry me over, I planned and connived knowing that if I lived it might be worse to face the captain for removing the boots, he was a stickler for details.
In mind I mapped every footfall on the slippery deck, every shift of weight, rolling of the vessel, every variable counted for. There could be only success. Then over to some unknown fate, the locker below, or a shore unseen.
The anchor dropped, I sprang, lost footing, recovered, half way there, lost footing again, again a speedy recovery. Then the angry voice, “To Neptune you disobedient bastard”. Don’t come back I took it to mean, but I was there, ahead of my timed calculations. I knew I could make it back alive. After locking the open hatch I looked up at the Captain, he only looked back angrily. I seen the wave coming, now or never, I looked to the captain again, he still looked angry. To Neptune then. I relaxed, waiting patiently, meditative, spread open armed to embrace the ocean, take the experience of the ride for what it was worth in the present moment. Oh what a ride!
The ocean took me.
I reached out with silent consciousness to connect with the ocean, and the spirit of the ocean, and all it’s children. My supplication was granted by surfacing to air with the same right to breath as gifted to the mammals of the ocean. And so I breathed, thanking the god-spirit of the ocean. Acceptance was no guarantee of life, the waters are treacherous, wily like a woman’s sophistications. As I treadled water between waves, facing the power of the oceans might without defenses, clarity of mind took hold where the ordinary man might panic.
'I am one of Her children now, she has granted me breath, I must be as one of them, obey her and she will provide a place in the circle of life, even if it is to be shark food.'
I could hear Her silent voice inside me, coaxing, encouraging, challenging, caring. “What drives you to be here manimal, why do you not die like the rest of the manimals who feed my children below?”
“I love, and I have more to give, I am not finished caring”
“She must be a fine manimal for you to struggle against the odds of living”
“She is the only light I know”
“Who will she be to you if you find the dryness again”
“She will be a wife, a companion, friend, sister and mother, a goddess”
“What is so special that you love her so?”
A piercing sound resonated through the waters.
“Do you love the sound of your children’s voices?”
“Yes, do you?”
“Amazing to hear, but to feel their voices in the water is a blessing. She has a such a voice to make the sirens jealous. She is kind hearted, soft, caring, and all that is desirable.”
“Then I will become her, and you will love me as you love her, in all the ways that you do.”
With that, the ocean took on the appearance that she was my beloved, and with all the nuance of her character.
Her silent voice was quiet now, real life perceptions returned in a confusing array of thoughts. What to do, the cold water, the waves in the dark, the unknown direction of land, the ocean predators, so many considerations just to stay alive. Instinct took over. The body knows when to breath, sleep is unnecessary, water from rain, the body knows, silence or mind interferes with body. I let go conscious control, letting the body work, letting the body do what the body does best, staying alive. But where did She go?
I began swimming as if to imitate one of the sea children, through waves instead of trying to stay afloat, taking the adversity of breath in stride, accepting with a patient attitude. Prolonged lightning streaked the sky, revealing two massive waves converging on my position. I cried out finally, exasperated, doubtful whether I could survive such large waves.. ”LOVER!!, MOTHER!!!” I shouted and raised up to greet the waves as they transformed into her arms, enveloping me in Her cares.
I awoke the next day, floating on my back, breathing air, in the sunlight. She loves me.
I swam again, releasing my body to work its way to land instinctively. A piece of foam appeared, a broken piece of a life saving device. I tucked it under to add buoyancy, continuing the slow steady swim.
After a time She appeared again, consciousness of reality was replaced by consciousness of Her. She was the ocean, the water, and everything in it. She demanded to be loved. Buoyed by the foam I was unaware that I had ceased swimming. My strokes were replaced by thrusting hips and writhing in the way of human lovers. She became my lover, manifesting in the here and now as if there were no other. No reason to go on further, we could love and be together for ever in an embrace fit for the gods.
All good men know the dangers of a woman’s love, know enough to pull back or be consumed. The consumed are discarded, unworthy.
I learned to care for her thoroughly, appropriately, to satisfaction. She rewarded me with swarming schools of fish, easy to catch until I had taken my life sustaining portions. And so we went on in our care, I journeying, Her sustaining me. Many of Her children were called up from the depths to greet me, so many kinds, and some said not to exist in the world any longer. The deep keeps Her secrets well hidden.
When I became cold She summoned warm currents. When I commented on the color of the waters She commanded the blooming of the ocean into bright colors as if the rainbow in the sky had fallen or taken a wrong turn and become lost.
While diving for a fish one afternoon a turtle swam within reach, I took hold of it’s tail and hitched a ride to the surface, then clinging to as it swam. “You should let go, you are going away from the dryness and it is not for you to take away from this child of mine, I have given you all that you need, do not steal from my children”
I let the creature go free then explained to her that It was customary for manimals to harness the abilities of other animals in return for care and safety. We had long discussions about the ethics of this human activity, I was not sure if she accepted our strange custom.
Then my fears came into reality with a stomach turning finality. A shark's large fin broached the water, approaching lazily, curiously. I submerged to view the huge animal as it circled me. Satisfied, it altered course and came towards me, I dodged and grabbed hold of a fin, straddled the beast as if it were a horse, then proceeded to test if it could be controlled. Once I had managed a good position I was able to control it’s depth but not it’s chosen direction. We rode the surface. Letting go was not an option, surely death and forever Her ocean lover, discarded for another more worthy.
Then the dry hardness appeared on the horizon. My heart took a leap..then doubt. Would She let me go? As little as ten feet from land that beast could easily eat me in 3 bites, how will I dismount? How will I get my feet on land? What will she do if she thinks I have left her?
The shark turned and followed the coastline for miles, so close, a few hundred feet from land, an impossible divide. To come so far, so far to go, so close. I raised my voice, calling upon Her care for me, to let me go that I may give, and live again on dry land.
A beach soon appeared. A beach crowded with sea lions, the sharks natural food. I could feel the shark's frustration and inner tension. The sea lions were aware of us and exiting the water. The shark turned back towards the deeps and I took the risk of dismounting.
I made it! Land! Finally! But a cold wind was blowing, and skies were looking unkind. Now the real business of survival would begin, searching for food, staying warm, and would she still care for me?
Snow flakes began to fall. The cold set in harder than normal. She appeared again. “This is the last gift I can give you my Child, and only because of the snowing cold, please do not hold this against me”
“If the cold snow is your gift of care then I will wrap it about me like the warmest comfort. The sting is only a pilled fiber on fabric held against my skin. Your love is everything to me though I cannot be with you any longer in the waters”
“Come back to me and I will keep you. When you are ready I am here awaiting your care again, go and find your desires but do not be surprised that I have now become the one that you seek, and that her love for you is now with me. Go to the beach with the sea lions. They will keep you warm because you are also my child on land as they are.
Men will come soon. You will return to your normal place. Forget your pain for a time then remember, I am waiting for you always”.
