Artist: James R. Eads
I carefully tuck in a box
the heirlooms of my grandmother
& mother:
South sea pearl brooch
& words of wisdom:
Invest in education,
& work hard
Moon is a pied piper, calling dreams awake & follow his music.
I believe in positive thoughts
& attracting enriching events
& life-embracing experiences
while accepting my fears
& disappointments
My hands are potter's hands, shaping clay to cups, cups to pots, pots to urns.
I am mindful of my thoughts
where they drift
like fallen autumn leaves
where they pool & sink
on dead end street
where they echo & resound
the future that is yet to be
Black raven swoops her hungry claws on dead baby bird, balled white as pearl.
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - What is your philosophy?
Thanks for the visit ~
Have to embrace indeed as the thoughts do stroll, not always positive, but I'm positive something can be negative lol
ReplyDeletebeing mindful of the thoughts - i like that cause easily they tend to drift and not always to good places.. the close with the bird made me swallow - life isn't always fair..ugh..
ReplyDeleteI agree with Claudia. I really like this piece.
DeleteGrace, really a wonderful write. I love the longer line prose-ish sections. I scrolled to the bottom to see if there was an attriution or if they were yours. They are yours. taking control of our mind is so important as stray thoughts can def lead us to some really weird places. I like how this builds from your mothers thoughts given to you to your own. And seriously the long lines make this for me.
ReplyDeleteThat artwork is to die for!!! James R. Eads. I'm looking him up right now. Be back for your poem in a few minutes. ;)
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm back. :) Thank you for sending me on that enriching journey. His work is stunning!
DeleteAnd so is yours, as always. The ending is magnetic:
"My hands are potter's hands, shaping clay to cups, cups to pots, pots to urns.
I am mindful of my thoughts
where they drift
like fallen autumn leaves
where they pool & sink
on dead end street
where they echo & resound
the future that is yet to be
Black raven swoops her hungry claws on dead baby bird, balled white as pearl."
The body of this poem is full of encouraging philosophy..I was struck also by the in between lines for their hidden meanings..and they have the same amount of syllables as haiku..all of them. Love your work, Grace!
ReplyDeleteYes I am experimenting with American Sentences - 17 syllables in one line ~ Thanks Kathy ~
DeleteI believe this thinking/imaging/mindfulness as a living philosophy for a lover at the intersection of knowledge and life.
ReplyDeleteLovely! I believe in positive thoughts too, in live and let live, and in to live day by day:))hugss
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the in-betweeners sold me. emboldened me. I kept feeling that they were haiku, or tanka, but had never seen them extended as one line; cool.
ReplyDeleteI should have counted syllables, but that's not my style. Keeping track of those pesky energetic willful thoughts keeps all of us busy; unique way to work the prompt; loved it.
They are American Sentences, 17 syllables in one line, smiles ~
Deleteshe whispers, thank you. they are gorgeous.
DeleteLovely! I believe in positive thoughts too, in live and let live, and in to live day by day:))hugss
ReplyDeleteLovely! I believe in positive thoughts too, in live and let live, and in to live day by day:))hugss
ReplyDeleteI believe as you do Grace, but you express it so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteMoon is a pied piper, calling dreams awake & follow his music. This so bewitched me. The American sentences just lit the candles in the frosting on the cake of this incredible poem.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely journey through each line!
ReplyDeleteamazing and we should always stay positive!
ReplyDeleteThe best so far, perfect!
ReplyDeleteAs I read pots to urns I did expect a dark image at the end....I like this philosophy of thought, of acceptance...
ReplyDeleteYes, death is also part of our life's journey and accepting its inevitability makes it easier to live each day fully ~
DeleteMoon is a pied piper, calling dreams awake & follow his music.
ReplyDeleteThere are such beautiful images in this poem :)
Beautifully penned!
Lots of love,
Sanaa
I love the words that reflect the painting like a perfect mirror lake. very lovely, Grace.
ReplyDeleteGrace, this poem was wonderfully crafted. I especially like the breaks into a chorus like mode to pointelize the main body of the piece. Well done. >KB
ReplyDeleteloved the drifting of thoughts as leaves... such a tender piece
ReplyDeleteOh words.. feathers of so more.. so deep
ReplyDeletewithin that lives expressing smaller
symbols of light.. in terms of
scratching symbols
of sand one
moonlit night
in copying
angels
of stars
in eyes
of
us..:)
I LOVE the format of this poem - the italicized lines are in brilliant contrast to the body of the poem - this is just so effective. I love the potter's hands and the black raven especially.
ReplyDeleteThoughts are funny things. They sometimes can be controlled, but other times seem to have a mind of their own. Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteYes, to be mindful of one's thoughts. Where they drift. Where they sink. You have put this beautifully. Thank you. And I love the illustration, too.
ReplyDeleteAh the jumping mind
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts are expressed beautifully, Grace. You certainly captured
ReplyDeletethe nature of thoughts.
I believe in positive thoughts
ReplyDelete& attracting enriching events
& life-embracing experiences
It is a noble thing to start off right. Positive thoughts will work itself to be realized in time. Great thoughts Grace!
Hank
Like most other readers, I too like your experiment with the American sentence, and the way you link your thoughts to your past and your future, your heritage and the uncertainty to come.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering, though, if the repeated & in the second stanza was necessary - I think the lines would work just as well without (I can see the necessityfor them in the first stanza though).
Our thoughts hold so much power and possibilities. I like the idea of being mindful as they can get the best of us. Very "thoughtful" piece! :)
ReplyDeleteI, too, believe in positive thoughts. It is the best way to live!
ReplyDeleteThis feels very personal --the linking here between past, present and future really works well with the images you have chosen--and for me, your opening stanza is magical
ReplyDeleteI want to take your poem and lock it inside my secret chamber of "treasures found randomly on the net". Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
Love the whisper of the long lines ... from pied piper moon to potter and the final engmatic image of the black raven.
ReplyDeletethe american sentence as endcap and summation - powerfully done, Grace ~
ReplyDeletelike the american sentence haibun. I was really caught by the one about clay to cups, cups to pots, pots to urns. A lot to chew on in that one sentence!
ReplyDelete