Mixed Media on wood, ready to hang.
Signed on the front.
This haunting tale of a ferryboat man from the 1800's by Richard Rowe was the inspiration for this work.
"High and dry upon the shingle, lies the fishers boat tonight….
From his roof-beam dankly drooping, raying phosphorence of light,
Spectral in its pale-blue splendour, hangs his heap of scaley nets,
And the fisher, lapt in slumber, surge and ocean alike forgets.
Hark! There comes a a sudden knocking, and the fisher starts from sleep,
As a hollow voice and ghostly bids him once more seek the deep;
Wearily across his shoulder, flingeth he the ashen oar,
And upon the beach descending, finds a skiff beside the shore.
On a pebbled strand it finally grateth, ghastly cliffs around it loom,
Thin and melancholy voices faintly murmer through the gloom.
Voices, only lipless voices and the fisherman turns pale….
As the mother greets her children, sisters landing, brothers hail.
Lightened of its unseen burden, corklike rides the rocking bark…..
Fast the fisherman flies homewards, o’er the billows deep and dark;
That boat needs no mortal’s mooring- sad at heart he seeks his bed,
Now his life henceforth is clouded-
He hath piloted the dead!!!!!