A black raven nosedives from top branches
A bird preening its red-silk feathers
A squirrel stirring tree's deep pockets
A cluster of green pine cones unveiling
A velvet ball of floating milkweed pods
A spider climbing potted vase's neck
A pink tongue of leashed dog
A fire-ant's steady march up the boulder
A butterfly's quickening leaps above lilacs
A flowering of late afternoon
As sun tucks in billowing skirts of clouds
Sky dusts away the jet's white smoke arc
Unfolding the waxing gibbous moon
Altering the worn-brown cityscape
I begin a new canvas
As I watch the night's calm arrival
nourished with mystery
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Poetics- In tune with Nature
YES. This is perfect. I will keep you forever. :)
ReplyDeleteThat picture/flower is freaking gorgeous! I'm going to make it the backdrop on my computer. I could stare at it for hours, or minutes. What's the difference, really.
This is my favorite part:
"A spider climbing potted vase's neck
A pink tongue of leashed dog"
Love love love your writing, Grace. Please start writing every day. Even if just a haiku. Pretty please? With (rum and) cherry trees on top?
You are sweet but I don't have the energy to write everyday, ha..ha...
DeleteAs always, my pictures are from that awesome blog, Colossal ~
Nourished by mystery indeed.
ReplyDeleteWhen we are too far gone from nature and the woods and watching her unfold in the squirrels play and the songs of the birds, even the unfolding pine cones - it is not good for us. I often retreat to nature to find that blank canvas
Love all these, the butterfly, the dog, the bird, the squirrel, all sounds lovely Grace:))
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely lovely thoughts drifting towards a wonderful mystery of evening!
ReplyDeleteYou have beautifully captured, in divine description, some of the wonderful delights that Nature holds for us. My favorite is, "As sun tucks in billowing skirts of clouds"--so picturesque. Love that :-)
ReplyDeleteGrace I enjoyed your catlogue of events culminating in the amorphous but present sense of nature flowing like a river, steadily on. >KB
ReplyDeleteThe litany of details in this speaks to the eye of a poet who then discovers the hidden beauty/meaning in each. Mary Oliver is getting some competition today.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the poem is like a litany. The details in this fill my mind and heart with these visuals. When I am too long from Nature, I feel out of balance. Even in the city, those with eyes to see can find wonders.
ReplyDeleteA portrait of Nature a Uni-
ReplyDeleteVerse of Spring Birth
of Human
Wings..:)
I really like the repetition at the beginning, the anaphora. It sets a pattern, and adds tension when you break away from it.
ReplyDeleteA list poem with a difference, culminating in something like a giant chorus of peace.
ReplyDeleteAs night follows day, your list poem shines like a rainbow at midnight, & the beats & rhythm become gentle panting as we gently ride the coat tails of your marvelous, mysterious poetics.
ReplyDeleteLOVE, this is such a beautiful poem :D
ReplyDeleteI looove the mystery in this poem ... Always, cat.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous imagery... really love how you start anew with a fresh canvas; there's plenty to admire within the darkness of night, indeed.
ReplyDeleteGreat catching little glimpses of life and the mystery can sure remain
ReplyDeletewhat a perfect piece. I love night shedding her layers of light...mysterious and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteFantastic images and tone Grace!
ReplyDeleteThis leaves me with an awesome feeling of peace
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written and wonderful to imagine.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful observations and nice word choices. I love how you captured the transition of day to night. Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteI think you have captured some great moments in nature and the last 3 lines really brought it home for me.
ReplyDeleteBeginning a new canvas with all of those beautiful images in nature will be rewarding indeed!
ReplyDeletea beautiful transition from day to night. I like how you revealed much of the day, but let the mystery of night remain...a mystery.
ReplyDeleteA day's worth of nature to enchant us.
ReplyDeletenature clad in bright day and moonshine night..."As sun tucks in billowing skirts of clouds"...my favorite line...
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely captivating. We can learn a lot from nature. :)
ReplyDeletesuch a revival to the soul in gazing at the world around us... you captured it nicely
ReplyDeleteI too am nourished by mystery. You poem reminded me of the Sound of Music song -- "This are a few of my favorite things."
ReplyDeleteI love the music in your title ... in tune ... it adds an element of dance, which I find beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYou are so very clever in how you hide extra meaning behind the particular words you choose:
A black raven nosedives from top branches (branching out; visiting new and interesting places, always; never stay in one place too long, lest you limit your wingspan)
A bird preening its red-silk feathers (reads ilk; feat hers)
A squirrel stirring tree's deep pockets (amazing imagery; the squirrel is a witch, stirring a magic pot inside the tree's pants)
A cluster of green pine cones unveiling (double meaning in "pine" ... see luster ... green = envy ... unveiling adds a dance to this as well, the dance of the seven veils)
A velvet ball of floating milkweed pods (a velvet ball of floating ... I love that feeling; simply gorgeous)
A spider climbing potted vase's neck (so sensual ... see limbing ... lemming)
A pink tongue of leashed dog (tong(s) ... held at a distance ... lease head ... God)
A fire-ant's steady march up the boulder (fie rants ... going steady ... March ... up the bold her)
A butterfly's quickening leaps above lilacs (quickening ... great word; a stage of pregnancy)
A flowering of late afternoon (a girl, an afternoon child, a late bloomer; always the most beautiful)
As sun tucks in billowing skirts of clouds (for bed, tucks in the clouds, or tucks himself in with clouds ... bi lowing ... skirting clouds; trying to get away from them; duck and hide ... ass sun ... skirts = sky hurts ... off clouds)
Sky dusts away the jet's white smoke arc (dusts = house cleaning ... is a way to avoid the breathing-difficulty the jet leaves behind; ark/rack/car ... everything in the past wiped clean, as if it never happened)
Unfolding the waxing gibbous moon (x = railroad crossing ... wa = washington ... un / folding ... gay bus ... mooning over someone, pining for them)
Altering the worn-brown cityscape (all tearing ... "worn" does a number on my eyes and turns into a worm ... worm-brown cites, why escape ... at the same time, why escapade? why, why, why)
I begin a new canvas (beautiful)
As I watch the night's calm arrival (arrival = our rival ... watch/watch ... wrist clocks)
nourished with mystery (not rushed, not riched, no wry shed; wit my stare(Y)
So much meat here, Grace. Phenomenal writing.
Love the vividness you portrayed, the emotions it evokes. Lovely.
ReplyDeletea list, an eye, a heartbeat of a pen. magical ~
ReplyDelete