our world wanes thin
this hard-won hope
afire and at once
*
sky bright - tear dark
flowering - hungry
prayers - profanity
*
its ruined road looks
back, asks us a riddle
shadowed answers
*
seem to see a child
say just some child
it is the same child
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Note: I was going for "suffer the little children" for the title with its biblical sense of "allow" but also to evoke the idea of suffering.
I think some of the early images came from a dream in which someone I admired told me something was "not strong, but it is right." I was very impressed by this insight in the dream and on waking up. But I agree with Big A that it doesn't really seem to make sense or hold up.
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Pic: The first ripened tomato from the veggie plot. May there be many more (if the deer, squirrels, birds, chipmunks, slugs, bugs, groundhogs, and bunnies grant).
6 comments:
Take care.
I have so many tiny green tomatoes, but none ripened yet! Can't wait for that.
I think the poem's third line is where a bit of the image muddling starts. Flame imagery here is so strong and so evocative, but the rest of the poem is not supporting it.
It's worth working on, I think.
(I've heard lots of people fussing about their gardens and their smaller than normal yields thus far. My herb garden is doing well.)
I'm not a poetry expert- but I think this is beautiful.
And, I'm envious of your tomato! I hope the critters stay away and you get many more.
The first ripe tomato is always very exciting. None so far from our plants and at least one green one disappeared. but there are more flowers, so fingers crossed.
Gillian--🙏
Nicole--Our other little ones are at least a week away from ripeness too...
Nance--You're right... Sigh. I was working with "fire" into the third stanza and then it sort of vanished. I'll have to go back to it later.
My herbs are doing well too--we've had a lot of rain and that helped.
Jenny--Thanks so much!
Steph--I'm wishing you an abundant garden year!
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