Sunday Surf Poem: Speechless by Curly Steve

Speechless by Curly Steve is from 2019. I have unearthed it on Hello Poetry. All I know about Steve is that he’s in his forties, from Cornwall, UK. And he’s written not only about surfing.

I really enjoyed this one, I’m sure you will too find some similarities with your surf journey.

Speechless

It’s not all been bad.
I have had some fun.
I started to surf
when I was young.

If ever I was lost
and out of reach,
I’d often be found
down at the beach.

My own little sanctuary,
where I could be free—
either sat on the sand
or out in the sea.

I love the ocean,
it blows my mind.
It’s calming yet dangerous,
mysterious yet kind.

The energy’s majestic,
the feeling of joy
has captured my attention
since I was a boy.

It’s led me to travel
to far distant shores.
I’ve met so many people,
opened so many doors.

I’ve surfed with monkeys in trees
and elephants on the beach,
surrounded by dolphins
and turtles within reach.

I’ve surfed during sunsets
and sunrises as well,
trippy seas and trippy skies,
as if under a spell.

I’ve almost **** myself sometimes
when caught in a gnarly rip,
being dragged out to the big stuff—
that ain’t no ego trip.

When you can’t see beneath
the deep grey sharky water,
and the fish race away,
is it me for the slaughter?

But hang on, there it is—
thank you Neptune and Poseidon.
Look out to the distance,
there on the horizon.

A little bump,
it’s coming near.
A pulse of swell,
it’s almost here.

I turn around,
my stick I straddle.
I face the land
and start my paddle.

Then suddenly
it lifts me up,
propels me forward,
fills my cup.

It makes me feel
so very awake.
I jump to my feet—
for goodness sake.

I’m 100%
right there in the now,
conjoined with nature,
no interest in how.

Just doing it because
I’m its biggest fan,
loving it, loving it,
because it’s there and I can.

Already a treat,
this gift keeps on giving.
I put in a few turns—
life is so worth living.

Then the wall gets top heavy,
it’s the best feeling ever.
Everything goes quiet,
it’s a sublime endeavour.

I’m inside the wave
for a second or two—
the green room, the barrel,
deep in the blue.

There’s no feeling like it,
I can’t even explain.
Wondrous, breathtaking,
it’s ******* insane.

I pull out of the journey,
can’t get any higher.
Full of adrenaline,
my brain is on fire.

Riding those waves
gives me so much pleasure.
I guess like the pirate
finding the treasure.

The greatest way
to improve my emotion
is to float about
in that big old ocean.

Yep, a few words seem to be missing. You can fill the blanks yourself until I locate Curly Steve and get a confirmation whether he meant “shat myself” and “fucking insane”.