“Barnacles on the container ship of consciousness.”
“Professors of literature collect books the way a ship collects barnacles, without seeming effort.”
“Her metaphors for her children included barnacles encrusting a ship and limpets clinging to a rock.”
“God knew she was a troublesome wench, with a tongue that could strip the barnacles off a ship's hull.”
“Really, Alexia, what could have possessed you to attach yourself to the side of the ship in such a juvenile fashion? It is positively barnacle-like.”
“In my experience, whatever happens clings to us like barnacles on the hull of a ship, slowing us slightly, both uglifying and giving us texture. You can scrape all you want, you can, if you have money, hire someone else to scrape, but the barnacles will come back or at least leave a blemish on the steel.”