The line is cast
No longer can the hook be seen
Through water murky –
rust, oil and other waste mingle
Fish bites
The line reels in
Fish gasps
black sludge drips
drip…. drip
from open sores leaking
black, rotting blood.
Hunger versus distaste
which will win.
Salt kills
Oil kills
The rising sea
has salinised the gardens
laying them to waste
forcing man and fish
to eat their death
Suffering all the way.
Pour oil on troubled waters
That is what they say
I beg you not
Please find another way
It may be insignificant me today
The next day you.
Thank you to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers
and also to Nick Allen who supplied this week’s photo prompt
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About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
The line breaks are so effective, especially the “black sludge drips / drip…. drip”, the way it shows what is happening, how it accumulates, what will come next… And the vividness of the image. I can almost smell it. *shivers.
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Thank you very much for your comment – I’m glad it worked as it is a message that has to be brought home – particularly to those that make our policies and they can be swayed by popular opinion (or maybe not when big business is involved – but I hope.)
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A pretty bleak vision that seems to be rapidly approaching… Nice write.
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Thanks Trent.
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You are BACK. With a powerful and effective poem.
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Thanks D. Yes I’m back now I just have to think of how to write darkness.
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Close your eyes, it’ll come to you.
PS your book is on the way!
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LOL. Thanks for purchasing. I hope you enjoy it.
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I am sure I will your book very much. PS, guess what I did while you were away?
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I know – you have also published and I’m looking forward to reading yours soon. Well done. Exciting times for many of us.
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Wonderfully bleak ~ if that may be said. The rhythm in this is spot on and the message clear. So very nicely done.
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Thank you Alicia. Bleak is good and glad the message was clear. It is an important one.
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All too vivid and real a picture you’ve painted here.
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I’ve achieved my aim then. Thanks Miriam.
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We are all eating our deaths. Well done!
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Thanks Neil.
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Pouring oil on troubled waters – will we ever learn? Excellent Irene.
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Thanks Keith. I hope we do learn. The squeaky wheel gets the oil – we just have to be squeaky but check the oil doesn’t go where it aught not.
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Excellently crafted. Thank you
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Thank you Violet.
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Dear Irene,
it’s great t see you back in the neighborhood! And you’re back with a vengeance I’d say. Well constructed verse with a powerful message.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle for the welcome back. It is good to be here and I’m glad you think the message was powerful. Thank you Cheers Irene
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Having been, and continuing to be, in the midst of horrible red tide and algae here in the Florida waters, this verse was right on target. It’s our future children who will be suffering the disasters we’ve caused. A timely well-written piece.
Isadora 😎
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Thank you Isadora. I hope that those that need to hear the message start to listen and observe. Hope your algal bloom soon goes.
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Such a vivid message, Irene! Sadly and beautifully done.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank you Susan. I’m glad the message was vivid.
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Well done. The description of the rotting fish may have killed my appetite for the evening meal I’d planned 🙂
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I’m sorry about your dinner but at least it has made you stop and think.
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Yes. And we went with hamburgers tonight 🙂
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😀
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Powerful indeed and presented in a style to maximise the punch. Excellent.
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Thank you very much. I’m glad it packed a punch.
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Pingback: Weekend Coffee Share 2nd December 2018 | Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist)
Excellent.
Powerful.
Futile?
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Probably but I hope not. Futile that is.
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Nevertheless, Irene, we have to keep trying.
Power to your pen.
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Thank you and yes we can’t give up.
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Oh.. and that’s exactly what we’re doing… oil on water… we have a saying in Sweden… it’s like peeing bed, first it’s warm and cozy, then it’s cold and sticky…
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I like that saying. It is exactly what we are doing.
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Wonderful rhythm.
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Thank you Dawn.
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Powerfully done, Irene. Nice to see you in the squares!
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Good to be back in the square Dale. Thanks
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A powerful piece, Irene. Well done.
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Thank you Sandra.
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You wrote this with vim and style, I like it
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Thanks so much Michael.
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