The TownDock.net
creative writing department asked:
What's your Caption for this Pamlico County picture?
Dawn
Hines says she’s been told the anchor was put in the tree
of her Midyette Street backyard sometime in the 1940’s.
| 
....another
view
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We
received many entries in our “Anchor In The Tree”
contest. The judges’ top two favorites were:
“A
fluke of nature?”
Richard Rogers, Raleigh
Richard wrote - PS. If this unusual tree was in my yard,
I'd be tempted to run a chain rode from it to the house.
"Early Scottish Games"
Maggie Trout
Oriental
Runners Up Were:
With sincerest
apologies to Joyce Kilmer, Alan Kinsey of Cary submitted the
following verse ...
“I thought that I would never see
An anchor stuck up in a tree.
An anchor whose sure grip is fast
Put in a tree in times long past.
A rusting sight, and very rare
To see an anchor in the air.
Such rhyme is written by fools like me,
But who put the anchor in the tree?”
“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh…..I thought you said
…..’You throw it in the water OAK….’
“
Kathy Kellam, Oriental
Some
entries took the form of offering advice
Directions
for setting anchor:
1. Stop boat.
2. Pay out anchor over bow slowly.
3. When line goes slack back down slowly.
4. When line paid out equals seven times the depth of water,
secure rode.
5. Increase reverse power to set anchor.
6. Prepare cocktails.
7. Enjoy cocktails while standing anchor watch.
WARNING: DO NOT TOSS ANCHOR INTO TREES WITHOUT LINE OR CHAIN
ATTACHED!
Mick Roberts
Oriental
“Never
anchor at high tide!”
Sam Curry, Fairfield Harbour, NC
Jeff Matulay,
meanwhile, saw a business opportunity (he sent us the following
image):
As did
Philip Fritz of Bluefield, VA:
Anchor for sale (tree not included)
"The
next time that anchor is dropped, it'll create quite a log jam.
"
Walton Haywood, Chapel Hill
“Noah was here. “
Sam Curry, Fairfield Harbour
“Stayin’
Awhile”
The Leonards, Myrtle Beach
“I shall return!”
Bev Iverson
Testimonials that may turn up
in a brochure someday
“Not
even through the hurricane did we drag anchor.”
Ben Casey, Dawson’s Creek
“We Anchored and are now Rooted in Oriental”
Terry Letzelter, Mount Vernon Ohio
“Oriental, a nice place to drop the hook and
put down some roots.”
John Hough
We think this one may have been Haiku:
“I'm gonna sail away from here someday,
But for now,
My anchor's stuck in Oriental”
Bill Tuttle
“Oriental, NC: Redefining the meaning of the
term "storm surge"
Richard Rogers, Raleigh
"Hurricane safety tree"
Kevin Guilfoyle, New Bern
"A well rooted anchor will send out many branches
"
Tom Finta, Oriental
"Good Holding Ground!”
Lynne Rousseau
"Dead Anchor in a Live Oak!"
Lynne Rousseau
“Hey, this is Oriental, sailing capital of
the southeastern US. What did you expect? Apples?!”
Richard Rogers, Raleigh
The “A” Team
"Anchors A-treed!"
Lynne Rousseau
"Anchors that weigh"
Walton Haywood, Chapel Hill
“Anchors A-Sway”
Dwight Sheppard, Ocean Isle Beach, NC
“Anchor... or anachronism? You decide.”
Richard Rogers, Raleigh
Revisionist History:
Dateline: Oriental, Early 15th century - Chinese
trawler captain, loses anchor overboard....resurfaces
upside down in Oriental tree.....becomes earliest
known evidence that world is round!!!! Rumor from
Bean Porch Pirates claims origin of anchor to be true
inspiration for town name.......film at 11!!!
Wes Presnell....
Oriental visitor from time to time.......
Poems
A Town
Dock.net reader took the perspective of the tree.
“I've caught the love of my life and I'm not
letting go,
No matter how hard the rains fall and the winds blow.
Even when your death do us part,
I will always stay anchored in your heart.”
Brian from Snow Hill
Poems, Limerick Division
There once was an anchor quite rusty
When set it was certainly trusty
But it was tossed in the dark
And got stuck in the bark
Braving wind no matter how gusty!
OR:
To
anchor, one can go by the book
Or utilize the lessons you took
But some ignore the rules
And are thought to be fools
So
take a look at this hook in the crook!
OR:
When
asked which anchors were best
Said an old salt perched on a sea chest
"If left up to me,
I'll take that one in the tree"
For surely in strength it's been blessed!
Don Southwick
Merritt & Beach Haven, NJ
Rip
Van Winkle Version
"Anchoring
in the harbor for a little fishing, I fell asleep; It wasn't
'til I awoke that I realized how long I must have slept - the
anchor was fixed fast, so I climbed out of my boat and walked
away - but with no fish."
Bob McEachern,
Richmond, Virginia
-------------------------------
Thanks
for your captions... it is good to know TownDock.net readers
are so well anchored in literary style.
Captions and Pamlico Poetry are always welcome at captions@towndock.net
Previous
Pamlico Captions
TownDock.net
readers have some brilliant creative minds - check out previous
Captions winners:
•"The
Billboard"
•"The
Water Tower"
•"The
Tubs"
•"The
Pain Store"
•"Chimney
Santa"
•"Buc"
•"Telephone
Booth"
•"$1,000
FIRM"
