at night, i arrange
our memories, leaf by leaf
stone by pebbled stone
as if every sun-dried crevice
of shells and mollusks echo
the careless caress of your voice
but the season of emptiness
has begun - decaying anemones
along with drift wood -
brims the sand box -
smell of coarse salt & kelp
remnants of sea
amputated by riptide-
here, stillness of hermit crab's pincers
frames & palms
every floating urchin
& bleeding shark-fin carcass
into distant mirror
flat, cocooned
by diving bell spider's silk
Photography by Emily Blincoe
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - OpenLinkNight - Hosted by Mish ~ Join us when the pub opens at 3pm EST. Another poem for my prompt last week, on Arrangements from the photos of Emily Blincoe.
I was enthralled by this, Grace....absorbing every word. Memories can be like scattered beach treasures. My favourite stanza...
ReplyDelete"as if every sun-dried crevice
of shells and mollusks echo
the careless caress of your voice"
Each thing holds something for us to recall, as the senses take in it all.
ReplyDeleteYour poem is so well written, I formed my own images before I scrolled down to the wonderful Blincoe arrangement; strong sensory stimuli throughout; makes me want to head to the beach. I liked the lines /but the season of emptiness/has begun/.
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ReplyDeleteI was just going through the same emotion as Glenn reading through your poem I painted an arrangement of sorts (love the inclusion of kelp) and scrolling down seeing the photo I felt an emotional ah yes... and immediately the objects became alive from the words
ReplyDeleteI am completely at a loss for words!! This is so beautiful!! ❤️
ReplyDeleteGrace very emotional and powerfully written poem.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite stanzas:
every floating urchin
& bleeding shark-fin carcass
into distant mirror
Your words bring life to every emotional aspect of life's situations.
Excellent write.
I love your sea-inspired arrangement, Grace, it's so delicate and sensual.
ReplyDeleteExcellent interpretation of the collection of shells and other sea items.
ReplyDeleteYou had painted a picture for me before I got to the picture which then creates a strange juxtaposition...that's not what I saw but it is equally beautiful.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful write, Grace.
ReplyDeleteThe imagery in the second stanza...haunting.
ReplyDeletebrims the sand box -
ReplyDeletesmell of coarse salt & kelp
remnants of sea
Sea debris but given some good thinking the arrangement is perfect more so with great lines, Grace!
Hank
I really like the imagery in this piece. Well done.
ReplyDeleteWonderful and interesting imagination :)
ReplyDeleteThe title is so cold. "Unframed" makes me think of photos that were either never framed or that have since been taken out of their frames. "Arrangements" ... again, such a cold word. I see several scenarios as being possible. First, I think of an affair that has ended badly ... the spider being his wife, trapping him and keeping him from you, the one he really loves. Another possibility is that this is about a couple getting a divorce. The sandbox made me think of a child, so I was wondering if the child might have died or been kidnapped and killed, which led to the parents' relationship falling apart. And now I've forgotten the third story I had in mind. :P
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I always enjoy your work. But I especially like poetry that can be interpreted in different ways.
the season of emptiness - yes that is plausible as we draw more into autumn.
ReplyDeletereally reminiscent of the sea, Grace ~
ReplyDeleteOceans memories/imagination opened up. Thanks for taking us along
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed, Grace.
ReplyDeleteat night, i arrange
our memories, leaf by leaf
stone by pebbled stone
~these lines.. <3
Beautiful first stanza, Grace. There is something in the decaying and reissuing of life at sea we resonate with...
ReplyDeletethe pattern of life, death, and rebirth and being one with the universe has its appeal.
Without the accompanying photograph the metaphorical possibilities were endless as I read through this summation Grace.
ReplyDeleteI find that when we sort memories, there are those that refuse to be put in one place. As I try to remember, more and more memories flood my mind until everything becomes a jumble in my head.
ReplyDeleteYour piece pairs well with the photo. :-)
Happy weekend. :-)
~Imelda
the time of emptiness has begun...wow! Wonderful line in this totally entrancing poem. I had visuals in my head of a sandbox by the sea, similar to the arrangement of Blincoe's Arrangement. wonderful to read this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a depth.....absolute!!!
ReplyDeleteI was hooked in the first stanza and then truly entranced by the words "season of emptiness"
ReplyDeleteYou've worked so well with these "arrangement" photos and prompts. It was one I missed with our travels. Will have to get back to it. Your words here give a haunting memory to this "arrangement"
I enjoy writing with an image for inspiration. You do it particularly well, and yet your work is meaningful standing alone, too. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful - I could taste the salt tang of the sea.
ReplyDeleteThose sea shell arrangements provide a wonderful metaphor for the memories of the day.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem-- I especially like the way it begins.
ReplyDelete