My hands are a keeper of words that stays
green as spring. Even when autumn sits
curled beyond my reach, content to play
with spinning wheel. I gather all my wits
to seed: fire, mustard & apples. What fits
doesn't always happen as I tangle with dark comedy.
I am a weaver who stitches and flits
sad corners, cutting away the tragedy.
Underneath the labor of tiny leaves, I eye
waning hours to inhale solitude. Though I smart
from the toil and burdens, I don't cry.
We women are embroidered with an open heart.
Sun holds our faces as chalices. Don't moan
our past nor fate. We are not cast in stone.
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Bout Rimes Revisited, hosted by Gayle Bodirose ~ We are to use the following words in the same end-rhyme pattern: stays, sits, play, wits, fits, comedy, flits, tragedy, eye, smart, cry, heart, moan, stone.
A belated tribute to International Women's Day (last March 8) ~
Thanks for the visit ~
"I am a weaver....cutting away the tragedy." I like the way you portray the strength of women here, Grace.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great poem for Womens day.. Really all the burden put on women for less reward is so great.
ReplyDeleteA perfect word-weaving, lost in powerful narrative, and a fitting tribute to the power & mystery of women everywhere. I like the lines /I gather all my wits/to seeds: fire, mustard & apples./.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, Grace. What a lovely affirmation and tribute to the power within all women. Made me feel proud...thank you. I really liked: "We women are embroidered with an open heart." And those last two lines...very encouraging.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this powerful tribute to women everywhere. You wove the rhyming list into your poem so effortlessly.
ReplyDelete"fire, mustard & apples." I don't know what it is exactly, but I love that line. That combination is so evocative. Nice job1
ReplyDeleteI gather all my wits to seed: fire, mustard & apples.
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous images..!!
Beautifully done.
Lots of love,
Sanaa
I like being fierce, but only now and then when need calls, but always in a positive way.
ReplyDeleteWill write soon dear Grace, been away from blogland for some time.
Kind regards
Anna :o]
Women sure have strength to push on through most anything, fierce indeed.
ReplyDeleteSo many phrases I love and I really enjoy your use of enjambment to puzzle in the words so brilliantly. Your last two lines are so empowering paired with your image...really enjoyed this, Grace!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's wonderful! The final couplet is particularly apt and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis is just gorgeous, Grace...this line is awe-inspiring:
ReplyDeleteSun holds our faces as chalices
Be fierce! I like that. Wish my mom had said that to me!
ReplyDeleteLovely poem and the couplet at the end really seals the deal.
ReplyDeleteYou spoke about a goddess. Me, I'm flesh and blood. Get burnt by the sun, heart stowed away somewhere safe, the only embroidery I would've been able to do is in gossiping and I try very hard not to. :-)
ReplyDeleteLife is a tapestry and God the Master weaver, but He surely uses us women to help weave the best parts of the picture. Beautiful and touching use of the bout-rime words.
ReplyDeleteMy eye is drawn to the couplet first. It is the light at the end of the poem. Well done, Grace!
ReplyDeleteThough I smart from the toil
ReplyDeleteand burdens, I don't cry
Women ought to hold out on their own. Seen that more often these days than before!
Hank
This is stunning!
ReplyDelete"We women are embroidered with an open heart." Just one of my favorite lines here.
Stunning, as always, Grace.
ReplyDeleteI love these:
"My hands are a keeper of words"
"Underneath the labor of tiny leaves"
"I eye / waning hours"
"as I tangle with dark comedy" ... Because of this extended line, this is the first time I've realized that inside of "comedy" is "Come, Edie," which for me is about Edie Brickell, whom I LOVE. So you can look for some Edie tunes on my blog, very soon. ;)
I flipping LOVE this:
"I am a weaver who stitches and flits
sad corners" ... especially how you changed the meaning with what follows the line break.
"We women are embroidered with an open heart.
Sun holds our faces as chalices." ... This is inspiring. And oh so beautiful.
My eyes went twitchy on the ending and read,
"Don't moan
or paste our fate. We are not cased in stone."
I love kindergarten paste. Remember, with the little sticks? SO yummy to swirl around and play with. :)
This is a beautiful image of a woman. I especially love these lines: "I am a weaver who stitches and flits
ReplyDeletesad corners, cutting away the tragedy."
~Imelda
Beautiful, delicate, and poignant.
ReplyDeleteBecause we are strong! Well done. As always, thank you! Have a beautiful week.
ReplyDeleteGorgeousness.
ReplyDeleteLOVE:
"Even when autumn sits
curled beyond my reach"
So much.
Clever use of "smart". I think that most of us used the other definition of the word, so it's nice to see it used this way.
ReplyDeleteFierce heArt
ReplyDeleteof women rules
over Fierce
rule with
little
Art..:)