andymorley's pomes | VYTAUTAS BAGDANVICIUS

There you sit silently shaving Subtle shivers slicing Sawdust scattering Supple but so suddenly stiff Vytautas Bagdanavicius. At work aloft, bending a royal, Scurvey and boils, Donkey engine oil, On Slippery deck... John Sömmarström, sailmaker, Pipe stuck in mouth, needle poised, Oblivious to capstan boys, Frozen images. What if by magic, that cheap Kodak, Could once start moving and take us back, Speeding up and bringing to life, That model-making sailor's knife...? Andy Morley April 22nd 1996

This was inspired by some old black-and-white photos of sailors on the last of the square-rigged commercial sailing ships. They were in Eric Newby's book The Last Grain Race.

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