An experimental poem by Michael Dickel on Anti-Narrative—

 
Prologue to Dick Moby
                                     experimental Melville
 

 Orphan another found
 only children missing her
 after search retracing her
 in that, Rachel
 cruising—devious. Last up, me—
 picked and, nearer, near drew sail,
                                    a day, a second, on the.

 Beaks sheathed with sailed hawks—
 sea savage the mouths—padlocked
 with, as if by, glided sharks un-harming.
 
 Main, like dirge, and soft floated I on,
 night and day whole—one almost, coffin
                                                   that up buoyed for.
 
 Side my by floated, and over fell,
 sea from lengthwise shot buoy,
 life-coffin, the force great with rising,
                                     buoyancy great its owing.
 
 And, spring, cunning
 of reason liberated, now,
 burst upward bubble black,
 the centre vital that gaining, until
 
 revolve did I, Ixion,
 another like, circle wheeling
 slowly, that of axis, the bubble
 black like-button towards contracting
 ever and, then, round and round.
 
 Pool creamy subsided had it,
 reached I when, vortex closing
 toward, drawn slowly, but
 (only) then was I me, reached
 ship sunk of suction spent—
 half the when, of sight full in
 and, scene ensuing of margin
 on floating, so. Astern dropped
 
 was boat rocky from out tossed
 were men three the day last
 the on when, who, same;
 the post, vacant the assumed
 bowman that when, bowman
 Ahab’s place the take ordained
 Fates whom I was he, disappearance.
 Parsee the after that chanced, so it.
 
 Wreck survive did one because 
 forth stepped one—any does—
 here then, why? Done drama.
 
 Job: “Thee tell to alone escaped am only I and…”
 

 

[Note: This is part 1 of an experimental writing of Moby Dick backwards, beginning with the Epilogue as Prologue. The text has been modified and rearranged from a reversal of Melville’s writing.]
 

 Published by anti-narrative (as of 26 June 2019, site is gone)
 https://antinarrative.wordpress.com/