We would like to share the top three poems our talented members wrote for our second annual Ekphrastic Writing Contest in February. The Arts Council of Carteret County’s Art From the Heart show offered a collection of artworks in different forms, and our members wrote poems inspired by many of the sculptures, paintings, and textile art on display. Carteret Writer Joyce Allan was our contest winner with her poem “A Seashell Sandwich,” which was inspired by artist Susan Smith’s Sea Cairn.

Winner

A Seashell Sandwich

By Joyce Allan

Inspired by: Sea Cairn by Susan Smith

A seashell sandwich? Oh, what a delight.
Just what you need for a cold winter’s night.

Layers of driftwood to give it some crunch
Sanded and salted and ready to munch.

A delicious concoction of yellow and green
With the pink of a conch and red in between.

Add scallops and coral and sand dollars, too
For a feast of the sea made just right for you.

I’ll have mine to go!

Runners Up

 Son of a Biscuit Eater

By Sue Won

Inspired By: Black Beard by Jody Stouffer

Blustery bragger
Argh! Seadog swagger
Brandishes wildly
his curved, pointy dagger

Listen to him roar
Vile orders by the score
Black Beard, scurvy dog
Salt pirate to the core

Captives walk the plank
Cat-o-nine-tails on their flank
Ahoy there, Davy Jones
Its Black Beard you can thank

Three sheets to the wind with grog
My swashbuckling salty dog
Matey, we are booty-rich
In our alcoholic fog

That bilge-sucking pirate
He’ll never wear a crown
Let’s give him the heave ho
Blow the man down

Sunset Shrimper

By Don Sheldon

Inspired By: Sunset Shrimper by Kathy Barber

I know the sea,
And the sea knows me.

She left me for a Landlubber,
Said I was never around,
Stunk like shrimp and diesel,
When home, always drunk.

Her boy toy,
Odd kid, odd jobs.
Smells of grass,
Both kinds.

Depression and brain fog
Gonna miss her.
And she
Gonna miss shrimp money.

Heading out
Turbulent seas tonight.
Full moon hidden,
Ship lights bright.

Sea air, salty and sweet,
Choirs of gulls singing,
Following for food
Following for free.

Diesel engine chatter,
Tides running out,
Winds from starboard,
Pushing on to Big Rock.

Nets out,
For scooping greens,
Heavy and full
The smell of money.

Love my crew,
All work hard for shrimp money.
Never a man lost,
No one dies on my watch.

Back to port,
Now calmer seas.
Full moon guides our way.
To safe harbor for all.

The sea is lonely.
And so, will I be.
A fine masted sail is my dream,
Forever sailing dreams and me.

I know the sea,
And the sea knows me.
My friend Jack Daniels,
And a glass I will be.