Tuesday, November 22, 2016

The city by the Great River's mouth

I am yellow 
sparkling lights &
scribbling daring words

on turrets, 
walls and bridges,
bar stools and shiny mirrors 

But tonight,
instead of wine 
& trying out exotic food
& beating to samba beat

I look up
to inhale the sky's deep
mystery-  

the full moon
eclipsing my city neon signs,
car lights, highways, borders 
to one giant canvas 

unblemished as black
stones and wild wheat field
running the river's mouth 
with tide's harmony  

I wear 
the night with simple
reverence
unadorned but for the moonlight
just as it was  
with my Native Fathers




Overlooking Mississauga City, Ontario, Canada during the Supermoon October 2016

The name "Mississauga" comes from the Anishinaabe word Misi-zaagiing, meaning "[Those at the] Great River-mouth."

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Night time City Panorama ~ Hosted by Kim Russell

16 comments:

  1. It's so exciting to read about cities in other parts of the world, Grace, especially places I have never been. I have friends and distant relations in Canada and, as you may know, I am a huge Joni Mitchell fan, so it has always been a dream of mine to visit. Being a linguist, I am also interested in the meaning of place names, so your additional information about the name "Mississauga" immediately caught my eye. Back to the poem...
    You have really brought your city to me, with its 'yellow
    sparkling lights & / scribbling daring words / on turrets, / walls and bridges, / bar stools and shiny mirrors'. I love 'the full moon / eclipsing my city neon signs' and the 'one giant canvas / unblemished as black / stones and wild wheat field' - that's how I always picture Canada.

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  2. This is fantastic, the way you catch both the action of the city and the beauty of the moon, in the lights... love it.

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  3. I really love this Grace. It speaks to me of things much older than the city and your closing lines moved me to tears. Thank You.

    I wear
    the night with simple
    reverence
    unadorned but for the moonlight
    just as it was
    with my Native Fathers

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  4. Lovely, especially the last two stanzas.

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  5. Grace, this is lovely....evocative. I feel like I was there. Jane

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  6. This is lovely Grace--but then, your work always moves me

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  7. This is certainly lovely Grace, a pure pleasure to read.
    Kind regards
    Anna :o]

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  8. Sure lit up the night over the city, as you took it all in.

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  9. Beautiful imagery, Grace! I sense the simple reverence and awe as moon outshines the city lights.

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  10. breathing in the night here Grace and turning the city back to its roots - very clever the way you have personalised the impersonal city

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  11. I love the juxtaposition of the exotic city with the simple sky. Beautiful write!

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  12. Indian skylights
    oF all the worlds
    shine acCoss the
    sky.. no depths of limits
    as far as eYeS can see..
    or are they
    hanging
    lights
    on
    flat
    land.. so.. far...
    imagiNations carry..:)

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  13. Even the city takes a deep breath. Well done

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  14. this is spectacular....last stanza is marvelous!

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  15. I find this poem very calming, Grace. I feel meditative and contemplative.

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  16. Emotive and soothing ... even while the city beats in the background. Beautifully captured. I am there!

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