A Poem of Poetic Paddling: Maritime Energy
Mark Tulin is a baseball fan from Philadelphia, PA. He has four books of poetry and one short story collection, available on Amazon.
Paddleboarding: Poetry in Motion
Paddleboarding is poetry in motion. It starts with skill, then becomes an art form, a meditation, an existential journey on a wooden or fiberglass vessel across oceans, marinas, and lakes.
It takes balance, plenty of core work, and upper body strength. Since the sea is so unpredictable, it's best not to venture out there alone, unless you are a seasoned veteran.
Once upright, the paddler needs to look straight ahead to keep the board from veering off. With knees slightly bent, feet hip-width apart, the paddle will switch hands as needed, creating an easy flowing rhythmic motion, gliding across the water's surface to destinations unknown.
Please enjoy "Maritime Energy" and watch the video poem.
Maritime Energy, by Mark Tulin
Paddling straight ahead
single-mindedly
I slide into a billowing cloud
of ocean turbulence
not sure what I’ll find
exploring daylight
in the breath of morning’s
beast, where two pelican
silhouettes
drift along
the lonely surf
I move in chugging
sweeping rhythms
arms pushing
into the earth’s
resistance
Each side
I tend equally
digging into
the maritime energy
I glide gracefully
letting the tide
do its magic
as I maintain
my balance
continue my flow
staying upright
and on course
in the seafaring brine
of the misty
mysterious.
© 2020 Mark Tulin