More Greybeard images

Practice waves for the Greybeard poem I'm illustrating, most of the action takes place at sea so I thought I'd better get better at drawing waves. I started writing and illustrating this poem back in 2009 and have recently been seized by a desire to finish it.

"Land Ahoy!!” Shouted Greybeard then looking around

With the sudden intensity of a bloodhound,

For Master Moth his last ships mate

Just the thought made him salivate.

He's not on deck, maybe in the Galley

Thought Greybeard as he rubbed his belly,

But he wasn't there, nor on the lower decks

Or anywhere else that Greybeard checked

Meanwhile the Moth arrived at the figurehead,

Where he grabbed Mr. Flea and away they fled 

Towards the isle of their salvation

The wee flea quivered in anticipation,

But the island was far, Mr. Moth grew tired,

His arms grew clammy with the sweat he perspired

They became so slippery that Mr. Flea fell

And splashed into the tumultuous swell

Narrowly avoiding a hungry mackerel.

                     

Mr. Flea surfaced with a gasp of relief

To his good fortune he was close to a leaf,

With sides curled up like a canoe.

He climbed aboard and searched for a clue

As to the whereabouts of his ally

Though he saw no trace in the sea or sky,

And so he called out to him, concerned,

But sadly his calls went unreturned

Mr. Flea never did see the moth again,

His friend had succumbed to the food chain.

Meanwhile onboard the Regal the crew still evaded

The sights of the Captain so he worked unaided

Working the ropes he pulled and adjusted

To make the most of the wind when it gusted.

The tropical ocean did its best to convey

The Spider and Flea each in their own way,

Towards the very same sandy bay.