Tuesday, August 6, 2013

by the Riverwood

we walk towards 
       thrum of ancient trees 

 untouched by city's hard  
       hands, thick shrubs drape

over barks & stumps-
       leaves shimmer in rustling light- 

bikers & runners scatter 
       stones & while lovers sway 

as purple wildflowers 
      do in summer  heat - hungry 

for a raindrop -  fingers weave    
      slow ripple, slower heartbeat       

we should be bird-watching 
      & scanning for wayward deer  

but we watch the river
      yawn instead, then recline

on its back, catching sun
      with its mouth, like a fish


Posted for OpenLinkNight of D'verse Poets Pub - Thanks for the visit ~





Kindly check out our poems at The dVerse Anthology:  Voices of Contemporary World Poetry   ~

Edited by Frank Watson, he has included some of my poems ~ Here is one, originally written for Form for All:  Ghazal Sonnet form ~    
Better than I am

56 comments:

  1. This is beautiful, Grace. I think it is very peaceful to watch the river...so much can be seen in the ripples, and one can imagine where they are journeying to.

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    1. Thank you Mary ~ What was amazing was that it was right in the heart of the city ~

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  2. "heat - hungry
    for a raindrop"

    Oh, I love that!

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  3. a lovely walk in the woods. i really like thrum of ancient trees... purple wild flowers hungry for a raindrop... catching the sun with its mouth like a fish...

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  4. reclining on the river's back, catching sun with its mouth like a fish....love that image... makes me wanna let her carry me to the ends of the earth...sigh... a beautiful capture grace

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  5. Very nice write Grace.>KB

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  6. Perfectly captured, that lazy, glorious, hazy summer day!

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  7. beautiful, the river catching sun in its mouth, the lovers swaying like flowers :)

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  8. Oh I love your ending Grace! It's perfect and now I want to yawn (but not because of your poem itself of course) I love the peacefulness in this.

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    1. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon walk, ha ~ Thanks Gretchen ~

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  9. Yes, completely agree that this poem finds the halcyon moments we feel, sense, and share while resting on a riverbank. Love the form. Is it a visual thing, or is there a syllable count; the word count changes, but but visually it is consistent. One small thing though, I believe the plural of deer is deer.

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    1. Thanks Glenn ~ As to the form, I noticed this placement when I read poems specially in Poetry Foundation ~ Just thought I would experiment with the format ~

      Got it on deer ~ will edit in a bit ~ Smiles ~

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  10. What a wonderful mood you weave here-- so full of detail and attention and yet so undistracted and relaxed. Thanks so much for the feeling ~peace, Jason

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  11. the final stanza gives me goosebumps, Grace :) ~ M

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    1. Why so ? The river is actually full of fish ~ Good to see you M ~

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    2. Because it's a stunning trope, that's why! :)

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  12. I think inspiration comes when we aren't looking for it so yawning and relaxing by the river sounds perfect!

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  13. I really love this... so many great lines and images, and that fabulous ending! I just ordered my copies of the anthology, can't wait to hold it in my hands!

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  14. Beautiful and graceful, loved this. Comparing lovers to flowers was inspired.

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  15. your poetry is always refreshing and moving Grace, loved the mood within~

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  16. Love your words Grace - the thrum of ancient trees, lovers swaying - damn it - all your words!

    The close is perfect!

    Anna :o]

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  17. You've painted quite the picture with this one, Grace. I loved the line about the river yawning because I've honestly never heard a river described that way. Very original imagery.

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  18. I love the ebb and flow of this one. So peaceful.

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  19. I can feel the eddying currents, the ebb and flow, the ripples and the sunlight.
    Beautiful construction, assonance and imagery.

    http://somewhereamelody.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/late-afternoon-in-autumn.html

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  20. As the years go by, I seem to be more and more inclined toward the river, rather than the sea. Your words pulled me in.

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  21. smiles...i like the lovers swaying like the flowers hungry for raindrops....ah after spending all day in an HR seminar, what i would not give to be reclining by that river...smiles...

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  22. Love the peaceful flow of this. A beautiful meditative piece!

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  23. loved the contrast "thick scrubs drape" nice visuals

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  24. Beautiful...watching a river or floating on one fascinates me. I wonder about all the secrets it carries to the sea

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  25. Very lyrical poetic realisation and achievement, Grace - loved your ending and especially:

    'while lovers sway
    as purple wildflowers
    do in summer heat - hungry
    for a raindrop'

    Outstanding! With Best Wishes Scott www.scotthastie.com

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  26. Wonderfull! It read to me like a very gentle song, like a songof a bird captured into tones.

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  27. Some one say fish? lol nice texture to it indeed and congrats too at your feed

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  28. Wow, I love every lick of this! Each passage made me both want to linger and yet go on to the next.

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  29. looks like Argyle beach - make me miss home. Great poem and nice sonnet in the Anthology as well

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  30. I love this, I can see and feel everything through your eyes--the speckled sunlight through the leaves, the stones scattering as people walk along the river, reaching for its coolness-a reprieve from the heat of the day. Beautiful writing.

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  31. Grace, the last two couplets are divine. I enjoyed the whole poem.

    Pamela

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  32. Captured nicely, what a walk in the city! one has to be 'open' to see/feel/taste it...:)

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  33. Wonderful movements of water with ripples, something great to savor. Being aware can be rewarding. Beautiful write Grace!

    Hank

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  34. Oh sounds like a perfect day, just to lie back and take it all in...just beautiful.

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  35. This sounds like a wonderful and serene walk indeed :)

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  36. I could actually imagine on a canvas
    your poetry today. What a visual beauty.

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  37. This makes one taste summer as well as the romance you weave into it. Lovely write Grace.

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  38. That's just the perfect thing to do on a beautiful summer day. :-) Your images are lovely.

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  39. Love this! congrats on the anthology too!

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  40. Congrats on your poems included in the anthology. Wonderful!

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  41. ' we should be bird-watching & scanning for wayward deer '--- ah, i am all up for these Grace... ye know i love nature at its grandest essence and reading this is a gem to me.... refreshing! ...loving the new header photo.... i can be lost for a while to it.... smiles...

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  42. I saw this scene as I read and love its business with bikes and all, as well as the choice of stillness, lying on and becoming the ocean in the sun. Mmmm.

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  43. Beautiful afternoon well spent and wonderfully told in poetic imaginary.

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  44. this is quite lovely and peaceful. I can see how one might get lost in the river's yawn.

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