Poems By Simon Beechinor

This poem describes the dawn as seen from the bridge of a ship in the narrow China Strait that leads to the island of Samarai in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea.  The China Strait is about four nautical miles long, but only half a mile wide. The proximity of navigational hazards is such that it requires precise and faultless navigation. Many of our sailors came from the islands of Milne Bay in the Louisiade Archipelago, and if time allowed, we would stop and drift to allow the men to pass trade goods to their ‘wantoks’ and hear the news from home. The structure of this poem is inspired by the villanelle form of poetry, it borrows the nineteen-line structure and the concept of refrains, and uses literary devices like repetition of sounds and imagery to create a similar effect. Dawn I closely watch that labyrinthine pristine coast, For the misted shores where the bush and waters meet, Enshroud a world of secrets hidden by the night. The muddy waters of ancient mangroves glisten, In the subtl

This poem is dedicated to my wife. It is written in iambic pentameter to give the poem a contemplative tone. ‘Beyond my reach’ refers to the sun passing below the horizon. The words ‘I survey six’ refers to my choosing six stars to ‘shoot’, to obtain a position using a navigator’s sextant.  Dusk The sun descends beyond my reach to yield, And leaves the cooling ashes of the day, The most sublime of hues are now revealed, A worthy aspect for some aspiring Manet. I stand my lonely watch beneath that sky, Across that calm and tranquil sea, we plough, With none to witness our sailing by, Except for distant, cargo-laden dhows. The twilight lifts her sheer, translucent veil, And brings my constant, faithful friends to me, And from among that host, I survey six Blessed stars to guide me, west across the sea. The full moon bathes the ship in silvered light, And I reflect upon my passing day, Among those fleeting shadows of the night, My longing thoughts of Anne ne’er far away. Photo: Rafael Gar