Happy May first! Time for another Inkling Challenge. This month, Heidi, who is a master of wordplay, challenged us to up our game in that department and “Celebrate May by writing a poem that Maykes use of the verbs may, might, could, can, ought.” She shared this helpful information from The Britannica Dictionary: “These verbs are all modal verbs, which means that they are generally used in combination with other verbs, and are used to change the verb’s meaning to something different from simple fact. Modals express possibility, ability, prediction, permission, and necessity.”
Thanks to weeks of depressing news, my mind immediately went to a bleak place. But May isn’t bleak. Then my sister shared a video with me, and I knew it had to be the subject of my poem.
Close Encounter
One day you may find yourself
snorkeling in the clear blue
South Pacific and a whale
may swim up and nudge
you back toward your boat.
A shark might be prowling
nearby, heading straight for you.
she might think you’d make
a nice lunch.
You could panic, or
you could realize the whale
is trying to save you.
He can carry you on his back,
can keep you safe from the shark
and deliver you to safety.
You ought to thank this whale,
Be grateful for his altruism.
You ought to do everything
in your power to keep him
safe.
Watch the video of Nan Hauser describe her incredible experience:
Be sure to visit my fellow Inklings to read their May poems:
Heidi @my juicy little universe
Margaret @Reflections on the Teche
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone
Linda @A Word Edgewise
Mary Lee @Another Year of Reading
Then head over to Imagine the Possibilities, where Rose has the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
Wow. What a story. What a lesson for us all. Humans are definitely not the most evolved creatures on earth.
LikeLike
Altruism among humpback whales?! Amazing and beautiful. I am crying for the second time this morning! Thank you for sharing this story and for your perfectly fitting poem, Catherine.
LikeLike
What an incredible story! I love how you captured it in a poem. “You ought to do everything in your power to keep him safe”!
LikeLike
Fascinating story! Glad you captured it in a poem, ending with an appeal to protect wildlife.
LikeLike
What an incredible story that you captured beautifully in your poem! Thanks for sharing it.
LikeLike
Ha HA! Yes, there are some mays and mights and oughts in there that have a bit of immediacy in them. I thought for sure you were going to write about the bear pic I saw on ig. My goodness, you live in quite a beautiful part of the world AND busy with lots of wild life.
LikeLike
Catherine, I love your modal verb poem today. My favorite is the message in your last stanza. Yes, we really
LikeLike
Ah that whale, What an incredible experience!!! Your poem gingerly builds and adds those model verbs effortlessly, thanks for all Catherine!
LikeLike
Catherine, I haven’t even watched the video yet, but your poem is OUTstanding in the way it subtly shifts from modal stance to modal stance and tells the story chapter by chapter! Beautifully done all around.
LikeLike
I loved reading your poem and then checking out the video. Wow! What a story! Your ending is perfect. I also appreciate the reminder that inspiration (and help!) can come from many unexpected places if we are receptive to it. Great response to the prompt!
LikeLike
Gah!! And that you found worthy words…Brava!
LikeLike
Indeed we ought to!
Wow, what a story. That had me in tears.
LikeLike
Your poem was so beautiful Catherine. Thank you for sharing the video, which was amazing. What an experience. I love that there is altruism to be found in nature, not just survival of the fittest.
LikeLike