Poem Quicksand Phobia
@arthurchappell (45002)
Preston, England
April 1, 2017 5:09am CST
Quicksand Phobia
My fear of quicksand started with Ice Cold
In Alex. The old John Mills film about
A World War Two ambulance on a bold
Behind enemy lines mission right out
In the desert when Anthony Quinn falls
In the mire sinking, unable to cry out
Because of making radio calls
To the enemy he serves as a spy.
Now even walking on a muddy croft
Gives me hot sweats and heart palpitations.
Thinking that solid concrete will go soft
Is enough to fuel my reservations
And I’m never going to Morecambe Town;
There’s real quicksand there in which to drown.
When Tarzan’s friend Jane fell in quicksand
I’d make some lame excuse and disappear
But now I try to understand
In an effort to face up to my fear.
I’ve even looked up quicksand on the net,
To see what advice they offer in case
I ever have the misfortune to really get
Stuck in a swamp in some God-awful place
Only to find my phobia is a fetish
For those who like deep mud as somewhere to play
And make love while they sink making me wish
I was turned on by quagmires rather than having to turn away.
Nowadays I cope with quicksand films sure enough,
But there is no way I’m going out looking for the stuff.
Arthur Chappell
7 people like this
6 responses
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
1 Apr 17
@josie_ wow, sounds terrifying
1 person likes this
@paigea (35632)
• Canada
4 Apr 17
Interesting, imaginative poem. I don't know if it is a type of quicksand or just a very soft bottomed lake. Once while getting out of my kayak I stepped into the water and began to sink. I sunk up to my thighs and I thought it was the end of me. I was panicking. Somehow I worked myself out of there. One leg wasnt' quite as far in. I was holding my kayak. I am very careful now!
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
4 Apr 17
@paigea wow, that was quite a near miss
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
5 Apr 17
@paigea not surprised - sounds horrible
1 person likes this
@paigea (35632)
• Canada
5 Apr 17
@arthurchappell It felt like it. But maybe I would have just stopped sinking soon. Maybe I had stopped sinking and that is why I was able to get out. I never want a repeat experience that is for sure.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
1 Apr 17
You would not catch me there either or playing in deep wet sand.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
1 Apr 17
it is rather scary, as are sink holes, and this was amusing and well written!
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
1 Apr 17
@Jessicalynnt saw a documentary on sink holes - they are really frightening
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 Apr 17
@arthurchappell me too, and they really are
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
1 Apr 17
Nice! Although I can't help but remember the quicksand scene from Blazing Saddles now. 
