The Raft of Medusa.
He at the Helm…the Captain,
Hapless gross incompetent… sailed on .
The ship went down and frenzied men despair.
A modern and familiar tale.
The waves pound at the lilting raft,
And stark the waxen corpses…..
And dark and sinister the mood…
And loud the frenzied cries
And men shake garments in despair
In hope of miracles.
Macabre the incident.
Despite the force of will to live,
The pallor of the dead and dying
reveals that…
Futile is their Hope….
He at the Helm…the Captain,
a hapless gross incompetent… sailed on .
The ship went down and frenzied men despair.
A modern and familiar tale.
The waves hurl at the lilting raft,
and writhing men shake garments in despair
towards the throbbing sea.
And stark the waxen corpses…..
And dark and sinister the mood…
And loud the frenzied cries
of thirsty men…
Macabre the incident.
Despite the force of will to live,
The pallor of the dead and dying
reveals that…
Futile is their Hope….
KB March 2018
By Jean Louis Theodore Gericault circa 1818 (in his 20’s.)