“I am cold, even though the heat of early summer is adequate. I am cold because I cannot find my heart.” ~Sebastian Barry from his novel A Long, Long Way
how years spent away made me
stone cold
grey clouds hovered,
pewter-shivered sky
i scribble with anxiety
hush
hush
as time drags me here, reluctant
stranger fulfilling obligations-
you are patient
recounting kinship-
telling me of your journey-
from winter's white blanket of trees,
to long summer drought-
you ink past
with lake's gentle tides
you palm today
with long unmeasured
breaths
(breathe)
tangerine sun warms, spilling of green
light, plentiful
I (re)discover
beat
beat
-my own heritage-
I find
thump
thump
-my own heart-
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Hosted by Walter Wojtanik. Please check out our interview of Laurie Kolp and our prompt is the quote above.
This is day 3 of our 5th year anniversary celebration. Thanks for joining us.
A familiar beat leads us forward! Well written, Grace.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this is great. Wonderful rhythm and sprinkled visuals/indentations throughout that make this extra appealing.
ReplyDeleteThese are my faves:
"pewter-shivered sky
i scribble with anxiety"
"telling me of your journey-
from winter's white blanket of trees"
"you ink past" ... I love, love, love this line. I'm picturing a person slipping by you, but as ink, not as skin. I think you don't even notice them until they've marked you.
"Tangerine" is one of your favorite words, I can tell. And I'm so glad it is. It makes your work all the more ... juicy. :)
Brilliant and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite poem today out on the trail, Grace, for you wrote something so profound, real & oddly romantic; raising hope that one might actually be able to revisit yesterday with new eyes. I love the lines (as do others /you ink past/with lake's gentle tides/.
ReplyDeleteLoved the tangerine sun!
ReplyDeleteOh my Grace! One of your best. I read and re-read this. The images the uses of such devices as I scribble with anxiety hush hush. Really excellent use of this throughout without seeming contrived.
ReplyDeleteOh the imagery, so much to miss, such wonderful nostalgia with pewter juxtaposed against tangerine.
ReplyDeletehush hush, beat beat, thump thump...i could feel that, such living words..this poem is a treat Grace....
ReplyDeleteNicely done to reconnect with that which never left. Your consciousness may have gone on a journey my wonderful friend, but of a truth the core may be silent but it always journey's within us.
ReplyDeleteI would have it no other way, my past is mine, my homes are all mine, my life is mine and it is finally mine to feel and identify what i feel.
Kind of like what you have done with this prompt.
Me cold on the outside all the time but just cuz me have to preserve fire inside, friend Grace :) ... Love, cat
ReplyDeleteSuch breathtaking images in this poem, Grace :D especially love the reference to 'tangerine sun warms, spilling of green
ReplyDeletelight, plentiful.. I rediscover beat beat.. my own hertiage' Beautifully penned (as always)
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Sure thump on through as the words spring from you
ReplyDeleteLove how you find your heart in the end.
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful phrases in this....I especially love "pewter-shivered sky." A wonderful view of the prompt, Grace. Absolutely stunning. We can go back, to revisit our past -- but it's a shadow of reality...our heritage is within us. Lovely write.
ReplyDeleteReally amazing!!
ReplyDeleteAs others have said, I love "pewter-shivered sky" as well. The poem felt like pulsing heartbeats. Wonderful!
ReplyDelete