Alan Ogan Tren is a Ship that Cannot be Repaired 

At the edge of the Venetian Arsenal 

lay a once-proud ship

its weathered hull scarred 

by years of storms and decay

Thick tar coated its sides in an attempt 

to seal the cracks and preserve the timber

but the damage ran too deep

Beneath the dark surface

the wood had rotted through

and the vessel’s frame 

had become warped and brittle

No amount of tar could restore its strength 

or make it seaworthy again.

Note: Dante compares the pitch in which the corrupt sinners are submerged to the tar used in the Venetian Arsenal. Also, the fictional character Alan Ogan Tren works at an emissions testing center in Fogtown.

Fhen M. has received multiple recognitions, including second place in the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards in the Waray poetry (siday) category and several daily wins in the DYVL Siday Contest, a radio-based poetry competition. His published works include “Bamboo House” and “Homing” in Horseshoe Spring 2024 and Fall 2025, respectively. His poem “Shadow Puppet” has been accepted by Straylight Literary Magazine, and “Bookcase in the House of My Ancestors” and “Spending the Night on Planet Mars” appear in Well Read Magazine: Best of 2024, Vol. 1.