Surf Poetry
Leave it Better
by Bryan Knowles of SurfPoetry.com
Some stand by the left
Others behind right
Yet from by or behind
Impairs clear line of sight.
Wings with which,
When unfolded can fly
From above they expose
That which we can’t deny.
Long ago dwelling spread
Along rivers and bays
Resources ’round which
‘Twas convenient to stay
And so we did
Depleting most
We’ve taken so much
From our tiring host.
With all that we’ve built
More we’ve taken away
States of mind need to shift
“Get progressive” they say.
“Same as it ever was”
Short of enough
So our debt shall keep mounting
With interest that’s rough.
We’d better take aim
Leave it better and see
Go beyond just recycling
Or planting a tree.
Revealed when we look
With views from the sky
That this issue needs focus
From both wings to fly.
Heart Break
by Bryan Knowles of SurfPoetry.com
The drop was late and risk quite great
To make it was left all to fate,
But on this one you took a spill
Held down by Mother Nature’s will.
Wish you could take this one back
A bad sign when your leash goes slack.
With breath expiring,
And mellow tiring,
The surface that you thought you neared
Was hard, then orientation cleared.
Kicked off the bottom and made your way
Soon greeted by the light of day.
And when you were, yo ulooked around
Then cringed upon what you had found.
A broken heart at leash’s end
Instantly lost beloved friend.
Justified to yell aloud
Swim in through empathetic crowd.
Then rub your eyes in hopes you’ll wake
“I’m dreaming, this is surely fake!”
But true as the sand between your toes
This session’s been brought to a close.
So sit and watch as waves go by
And swallow hard this humble pie.
Rider’s Anthem
by Bryan Knowles of SurfPoetry.com
To pros and Joes may this expose
OUr Riders’ Anthem here porposed.
We wear an emblematic ring
And promise to “Ride Anything.”
Enlightened by diversity
And likened to a sprouting tree
We know not how each branch will grow
The ones on top push those below
To bend and twist in search of light
Essential this innate foresight.
So let your riding do the same
To live in shae’s a tragic shame.
Allow each branch to sprout and grow
To seize the day it helps to know
The essence of a rider’s sport
Is not just riding long or short,
But taking on a fluid mission
And finding light in all conditions.
From street to snow
In wind, wake and waves we flow
Through barrels deep
Off lips we leap.
So slide around the bend and see.
Un stunt your growth and ride on free
To become that metaphoric tree.
Ocean Lullaby
by Holocaust survivor, Smithsonian Folkways recording artist and poet Trudie Richman.
Send Trudie an email telling her you love her poem and want to buy a collection of her poetry.
The ocean sings a lullaby
The wind it whistles, hums and sighs
Seashells, stones and fish in the sea
All dance in mysterious harmony
They tell us to dry our tears
Stop dark thoughts, worries and fears
To let hope and sunshine have its say
So that we can live fully just today
also by Trudie Richman:
Ocean Musings
MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE SEA
ITS BEAUTY AND ITS MYSTERY
AND YET I’D LIKE TO ADD A WORD
A WORD PERHAPS NOT OFTEN HEARD
ABOUT THE MOODS THE SEA DISPLAYS
THE CRASHING WAVES, THE RAUCOUS SPRAYS
THE DANCING RIVULETS, INVITING CALM
THE WASHED UP SEA SHELLS, LIKE A BALM
THIS ALL INVITES A REVERIE
UPON THE MANY MOODS, THE SEA CAN BE
IT’S EVER CHANGING UPS AND DOWNS
A SMILE, A TEAR, A SIGH OR A FROWN
PERHAPS THE SEA, LIKE YOU AND ME
IS YEARNING FOR SERENITY
also by Trudie Richman:
Reverie
I am strong as a mountain
I am deep as the sea
I am light as a cloud
And taller than a tree
I can fly like a bird
And shine like a star
The light of the moon is never too far
Sunshine makes me smile
And rain may make me weep
Flowers talk to me in rhyme
The mood changes swiftly in a moment’s time
The smile of a stranger can warm my heart
My mind may be filled with reverie
And acts of peace and kindness will set me free
also by Trudie Richman:
Sleep Boat
Let your mind become an ocean
Let fears go out to sea
Sadness, worry even troubles
Float away, bring harmony
Think about the Sea plants, Fishes
Ocean creatures without end
Moving to their mighty rhythms
In mysterious content
Galaxies of moons and stars
Gliding in their magic light
Guiding us with full intention
Safely through the night
Blue, blue, blue, says the sky
Pardon me now if I cry
Blue and clean I used to be
Before you changed my ecology
“Yessiree,” says the trees
Should we get down on our knees
Need we bet to stay alive
Must we plead, just to survive
Mountains, rivers, stones and sea
Let us tell humanity
With our soul, with our heart
So that they will make a start
Mother Nature, you and me we are all one family
Work together, that we must
Which means planning, love and trust
Thank God I Surf
by Judd Handler at DivineSurfDesign.com
Thank God I Surf
don’t wanna work
can’t stand the stress
my life’s the best
thank god I surf
don’t wanna work
no bosses screamin’ at me
I’ll be somewhere in Fiji
thank god i surf
don’t wanna work
no commute, no 9 to 5 grind
the waves bring me piece of mind
thank god i surf
don’t wanna work
making love to the ocean
shifting hips, grinding motion
Beach break, reef break
it don’t matter to me
all I really want
is to be set free
onshore offshore
you’ll find me there
without any worries
without any cares
thank god I surf
don’t wanna work
longboard, shortboard, whatever floats your boat
no cubicle for me I’m on an island so remote
Rainy Surf Report
by Judd Handler at DivineSurfDesign.com
In the wee hours of the morn’
passed quite a nasty storm.
Howling winds, pouring rain near shore
The County soaked in one inch or more.
Strong winds out of the west
make surfing conditions not best.
A combined WNW/SW swell makes the waves choppy
if you need to paddle this morning, it’s going to be sloppy.
It’s still raining so go back to bed
then eat a big breakfast get your belly fed.
Water temp stays frigid at 56-58
so go snuggle up and be with your mate.
That’s all for the surf report this morning
Get back to bed, start the snoring.
Ode to Surfing
by SurfPoetry.com
While herein words I cannot put
Nor in frame may cameras capture
Those hallowed waves through which we slip
And ride this life of rapture.
“To be or not”
The state of me
Rests on a vexing question.
Where not I dealt this salty deck
“Not to be” leads in which misdirection?
Yet here we are
While lost are thee
If not aboard and riding free.
For we may fleeting lines convey
The pulse which guides a surfer’s way.
also from SurfPoetry.com:
Gone Are the Waves
Gone are the waves we used to ride
The ones upon a healthy tide.
We stole away her innocence
And prospered much by this offense.
Today we wake, we see the light
A daunting, putrid, shameful sight.
Our Mother Ocean in distress
Thus follows our hedonistic mess.
We say we’re behind you all the way
As our sh*t out-falls into your bay.
It irks us as it drifts on by
While we float waist deep
Look ’round and sigh.
“It’s another’s problem, that’s for sure
Just please don’t cut access to this shore.
I’ve been riding here for years you see
My right, passed down is this old sea.”
Yet who’ll inherit after we?
Clean lines, surf’s up!
To you and me.
Why I Surf
by Robert Beedie
I’ll never ask why you surf
Please never ask why I or others do.
Allow your imagination to see more than your eyes ever will
Paddle out without question to experience the thrill
The glide, the slide, the ride are all one in the same
Life’s blissful joyful game – SURFING……
A sport I think not, a lifestyle many think so
For me it is neither, not even a choice but more a selection
I thank GOD that he selected me not only to seek and ride waves
but to see them for what they are – HIS CREATION to be enjoyedby a select few who see crystal clear why they surf.
Like the wave itself it has given to me and inner peace.
FEAR is just another word for LOVE and yes I FEAR GOD I also FEAR NATURE and MOTHER OCEAN.
That is WHY I SURF —–How ’bout you.
Sharing love has always been easy ——-LET’S GO SURFING…
A Wave So Sublime
by Judd Handler at DivineSurfDesign.com
I’m going down the line of a wave so sublime
Feelin’ fine cause the wave’s all mine
Carving, cutting back, smackin’ the lip
gaining speed, stalling, finish with a head dip
Shake off the salt and paddle back out
Wait for the next set, see a whale spout
The next set builds in anticipation
Adrenaline flows through my circulation
A couple hard paddle strokes to launch me down the face
Dolphins next to me making it look easy, surfing with grace
Creation in the making, sky filled with brilliant hues
This aquatic pursuit infinitely more fulfilling than drowning in booze.
Lone Surfer
by Andy Harney of go-surfer.com
Looking beyond the crowds
the search continues.
Hunting for the elusiveempty peak.
Not wanting to become part of the masses
nor needing the safety of numbers.
There is onewho ventures out.
At ease and finding peace
in the rythmic bobbing
of the lonesome lineup.
Dawn Patrol
by Andy Harney of go-surfer.com
When the roosters crowin’ I start a scratchin’ my head,
Gotta flop over get myself outta bed.
Grab a cup o joe and in the car I roll,
Y’a know I want to get movin’, I’m on dawn patrol.
Gone at first light of a dawning day,
I’m off to go check my favorite beaches and bay.
I’m lookin’ for waves that on my board I can ride,
I wanna find it right with the perfect tide.
Well I find a wave of substantial height,
It’s a peak in the middle with a left and a right.
So I spend my morning on the waves I will glide,
enjoying myself on every ride.
The water is glassy with no wind in sight,
the waves are breaking with all of their might.
Dropin’ in and carvin’ the wall,
do a big turn and then I stall.
Tucked so tight in the curl I will ride,
inside the tube that’s where I hide.
Now my sessions over and I’m on with the day,
Y’a know I’m all stoked as I make my way.
Tho the surfin’ lasts for just a short while,
I can make the whole day with a grin and a smile.
Impact Zone
by Andy Harney of go-surfer.com
You think you’re sitting
outside the break,
When here comes a wave
you’re not going to make.
Along the horizon
a darkened blue,
must start the scramble
arms digging deep too.
It breaks before you
with a crack and a peel,
a smile on your face
life is surreal.
Waves are breaking
on top of your head,
a mountain of water
is now what you dread.
Whitewater comes,
it hits like a brick,
white and foamy,
a turbulent thick.
Waves keep on comming,
three , four, and five,
You think to yourself,
just one more duck dive.
And when you think
you that got your breath,
the ocean pushes
you down to new depths.
Waves back off
you’re stuck in the foam.
Welcome to the Impact Zone
Sound of the Surf
by Ralph Alfonso of bongobeat.com
Waves crash down
6:00 a.m.
Morning mist
Hot sun burning
White boards rising
from the sand
camp stove coffee
smelling good
Fuel for the engine
Rhythm of the surf
Drums of the sea
One by one
into the ocean
throwing our bodies into
the liquid of life
Souls set free
astride our hearts
twisting and turning
propelled by ocean
into the white light of peace
exhiliration
fear the only obstacle
adrenaline the reward
sweat is our offering
baptized in the waters of
our creator
cleansed of our sins
given strenght
to carry our message of
an infinite calm
a silence within
as day begins
the sound of the surf
dawn of the drums
An Ode to King Neptune
by George Edmond of surfingvancouverisland.com
It’s still flat, and I’m gettin fatso I think I’ll write a poem. It’s to Mother Nature and King Neptune, do ya know ‘em?
Oh, King, Mr. Neptune, deep in your aquatic throne, Mom, with your consistently unpredicatable Nature, you know we can never be at home, lest we become engulfed in your turbulent waters.
oh please have pitty on us poor beached creatures. if i can’t surf and feel the wetness so free, i might as well be eaten by leeches.
Please send us, miserable souls a swell, or two, otherwise this poem is just the beginning, of what a dried out surfer will do.
Patrolling the Dawn
by Mountain Man
The waking sunrise breaks gentlyAcross the skies of beingSending the shadows of atomsFleeing before its substanceAs wisps of cloud fly before the moonAcross the face of the earth.
And across the face of the EarthJourney the beings of creationSearching for the loveAnd the dreams of othersTo water the garden of their mind.
For they may perceive only the lightOr the shadow of atoms.
Borne on the fleeting wings of the photonCome the first visions of the living Earth.But borne on the shadow is only an absenceAnd from the illusory twilightThe pre-dawn wind, rising off the sea,Whispers faint riffs in the flow of the cosmos.
For the sun will breakEven into the depths of the canyon-lands.So let those of the mountain fieldsTo the vast oceans remainGentle riders of the silent dawnTenderly reaching beyond the horizon.
To Be a Child Once Again
by Patty Irons
And in the sea our true selves will unfold
and we will be one before God,
and the sea will touch our hearts,
and our souls will be filled with gladness,
like that of a child. And once again, we shall be free.
Home Invasion
by Judd @ DivineSurfDesign.com
My homebreak has been invaded
The peak has gotten crowded–I’ve become jaded
After 10 years no longer my sacred reef
Despair! Heartache! Shock and Disbelief!
Overnight was the transformation
bad surf dreams now awake me in perspiration
Who are these kooks and from what inland hell hole do they reside
Excuse me, my feelings about these unwelcome Barneys I can’t hide
San Marcos, Vista, Escondido, Inland Empire…
Wanna-Be Surfers: it’s time for you to retire!
Submit your surf poetry here!
