Plague Of Dead Sharks

A poem by Alan Dugan

Who knows whether the sea heals or corrodes?

The wading, wintered pack-beasts of the feet

slough off, in spring, the dead rind of the shoes’

leather detention, the big toe’s yellow horn

shines with a natural polish, and the whole

person seems to profit. The opposite appears

when dead sharks wash up along the beach

for no known reason. What is more built

for winning than the swept-back teeth,

water-finished fins, and pure bad eyes

these old, efficient forms of appetite

are dressed in? Yet it looks as if the sea

digested what it wished of them with viral ease

and threw up what was left to stink and dry.

If this shows how the sea approaches life

in its propensity to feed as animal entire,

then sharks are comforts, feet are terrified,

but they vacation in the mystery and why not?

Who knows whether the sea heals or corrodes?:

what the sun burns up of it, the moon puts back.

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Poems in English 

• In Praise Of England poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Impromptu: To Frances Garnet Wolseley poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “`If you were mine, if you were mine” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• If I To You But Sorry Bring poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• I Chide Not At The Seasons poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Hymn To Death poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “Here, where the vine and fig bask hand in hand,” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “Here have I learnt the little that I know” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Grandmother’s Teaching poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Gleaners Of Fame poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “Give me October’s meditative haze” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “Give me a roof where Wisdom dwells” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “For where, beneath one’s parent sky” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “`Father, farewell! Be not distressed” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Farewell To Spring poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Farewell To Italy poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Dedication To The Edition Of 1876 To H.J.A. poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• Dedication To Lady Windsor poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “`Covet who will the patronage of Kings ” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin
• “Could I but leave men wiser by my song ” poem – Alfred Austin by Alfred Austin

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