I meant to write about sunlit Delphi, the old gods secret in the shadows
but here in Michigan, the old gods are past, and the sky does what it does
whatever we dream will be better than this, better than here, better than now
I set out a place for my guru to sit in, laid out offerings of flowers and fruit
the grit of river sand, screams from my childbirths, and grief from our fights
I never knew the words to prayer, or I've forgotten, yet wait for fortune to fall
for lives are libraries of restored light: take all you want, we're still returned here
our words, oceans bending to belong in every mouth; other words lie under ours
could this be our quiet power, our godly levitation--loving and freeing at once?
_____________________
Note: I know what I want the last line to do, but it's not doing it right yet... I'll keep fiddling.
Pic: The Red Cedar this afternoon--icy, grey, and deserted. The snow has receded, temperatures are climbing, and everything seems wet, grimy, and sodden.
14 comments:
My favorite lines are the last line of the first stanza and the first line of the last stanza. The title is nice, too.
I like so much about this poem.
I agree that the last line is not there yet--maybe try not asking a question.
Also, I wonder if the first line of the last stanza works a bit better if it starts with "our." It flows nicely; it has parallel structure with the rest of the line; it fits with the speaker's ownership of the subject of the poem.
And "lives are libraries of restored light" has to be one of the most beautiful metaphors I've ever read; it describes the idea of reincarnation so aptly.
Nice
This is beautiful. There’s a somberness to it which resonates with me. I don’t know if it’s winter or my health challenges, but I am pulled to all things melancholy.
Wow wow wow. Lovely and so thoughtful and quiet...and emotional at the same time. <3
Beautiful poem! And beautiful photo. And I can just imagine how everything feels when it's "wet, grimy and sodden." Blah.
Thank you, StephLove!
Thank you, Nance...
I did have "our" at one point and then there seemed to be too many "our-s" in that stanza. Also, there is a Tamil rhyme scheme where the first syllable of each line rhymes and I was drawn to the weak rhyme of for/our. I'll keep working on this. I think the longer lines in this one are challenging for me.
Thanks!
Thanks, Lisa. You made me want to write a cheerier one tonight :)
Oh, Julie, my friend--thank you <3
Thank you, Jenny!!
(I'm glad you're somewhere where you just have to imagine it :) )
This is the worst time of year. Dreary and depressing. It's the best time to catch really beautiful birds, though, because you can spot them so much more easily.
I never thought of this, Engie... thanks for the tip!
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