Dogwatch

Running the Night watch, the 'dogwatch'

  Often my teacher Roxanne
would say that an illiterate man
doesn't differ from a log..

Proof that she was right
                        [is the fog,
my fog, which covers
                                  [all the knowledge
that others gain from having attended 
                         [an university or college.


A question from my ex-wife,

"have you learned
          [nothing from your life?"

I replied that I learned
                         [to read the sky
and to sleep with one open eye.


I learned the language
      [of the sun, moon and stars
like Jupiter, Sirius,
                      [Saturn and Mars,
that orient and guide me
                           [night and day.

I learned to work
       [every Sunday and holiday,
by running the 'dogwatch'*,
                     the predatory one...


I learned not to trust
                     [nothing and none
and always and everywhere
                           [to carry a gun.....

I forgot friends, parents, flirting and fun
and in hearing a suspicious noise, to 
                       [the lifeboats I would run.

These were my basic studies....
                            [and later, with continuous tours,
to broth@ls, I got my PhD* because of my study 
                                                              [on whores !

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*Extract from "The Broken Mooring Line", an experiential
poetic work // page c52// e-mail: pmataragas@yahoo.com //
Texts and Narration: Odysseus Heavilayias - ROTTERDAM //
Language adjustments and text adaptation: Kellene G Safis - CHICAGO//
Digital adaptation and text editing: Cathy Rapakoulia Mataraga - PIRAEUS//
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* Dogwatch The Oxford English Dictionary states that the word 'dogwatch' is a direct translation from either German or Dutch of a similar term. It originally referred to the night-watch on ships — that is, the time when (on land) all but the dog were asleep. The name is also said to be derived from Sirius, the "Dog Star", on the claim that Sirius was the first star that can be seen at night.

 * PhD - Doctorate is an academic or professional degree that, in most countries, qualifies the holder to teach at the university level in the degree's field, or to work in a specific profession. In some countries, the highest degree in a given field is called a terminal degree. Many universities award "honorary doctorates" to individuals who have been deemed worthy of special recognition, either for scholarly work or for other contributions to the university or to society.
The term "doctorate" derives from the Latin docere meaning "to teach". The doctorate (Latin: doctor, "teacher," from doctum, "[that which is] taught," past participle of (docere), "to teach") appeared in medieval Europe as a license to teach Latin: (licentia docendi) at a medieval university. Its roots can be traced to the early church when the term "doctor" referred to the Apostles, church fathers, and other Christian authorities who taught and interpreted the Bible.



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