monagustafsonaffinito   CHATS AND RANTS — PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE

The following is a result of the assignment for today’s (Friday, April 4, 2025) gathering of our writers group here at the Waters of Excelsior. If you remember the meaning of “onomatopoeia” just enjoy patting yourself on the back. If you don’t remember, then you’re in my boat. I needed a reminder. Anyway, here’s the definition: Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate or represent sounds, like “hiss,” “buzz,” or “bang.” 

And here, for your reading and listening pleasure, is what I wrote to include illustrations of onomatopoeia.

“June, 1951

The SS Vollendam crunches a few times against the dock in Rotterdam as ropes bump and release it closer to its resting spot, finally tethering it, slowing the slosh, slosh of the water’s agitation. The somewhat rattly pinging of the large company clock calls out the arrival hour, adding to the cacophony of motors revving up to large containers slapping the deck as they fall into place. Screeching winches hoist them onto heavily breathing trucks groaning a low, rumbling drone as they cut through the air on their way on access roads pausing in peace for a moment. A horn toots, anticipating their explosive gassy pop as they exit the pier. Voices clash into each other as workers shout commands. Somewhere the almost musical ping, ping, ping of a European emergency siren swoops the air, unlike the soprano rise and fall of an American get-out-of-the-way warning sound. Out of sight the harbor pilot skims through the breaking waves, its guidance job done.

         Inside the bowels of the ship, we volunteers rush to complete documents that must be presented to shore authorities before gates will clang open revealing the disembarkation route down the slightly swaying squeaking gangplank. The click, clack, of fingers slapping the mounted keys on the contemporary Underwood tap back and forth between the zap of the carriage and the rip, swoosh of removal of the completed page.

         And then it’s done. The push of Mona’s heart banging her ribs from inside celebrates the processing arrival in Europe to begin the frighteningly exciting eleven week journey to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, England, Holland, and Belgium.”