My heart was split, and a flower appeared*
I bartered my hourglass of sand for its petalled serenity
I offered my cup for the boldness of its elixir
There is a receptacle of honey & beeswax
I wanted to jar & hold it {forever}
But its stem faltered, wanting nothing
As bare red maple trees wanting nothing
But crimson orange sunset, quicksilver of light
Burnishing its bark with summer chaos of birdsongs
I sink to earth's moss & inhale icy musk of death
Let go, carry on {kite}
Filled with wishbones & books braided on tailwinds
*My heart was split, and a flower appeared (Solomon)
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Poetics - Stepping Off the Sidewalk, Hosted by Laura Bloomsbury. Thanks for the visit and comments.
those opening lines are pure magic and the poem goes in this vein till the very end
ReplyDeleteMy goodness this is exquisite!💝💝 The poem springs forth and arrests with the image of "I bartered my hourglass of sand for its petalled serenity," and leaves the reader yearning for more at the end. Love this, Grace!
ReplyDeleteThis poem really takes flight, Grace, and I love how you launched it with the words of Solomon and remained faithful to the biblical language in the lines:
ReplyDelete‘I bartered my hourglass of sand for its petalled serenity
I offered my cup for the boldness of its elixir’
and then burst into beautiful flame-like colours.
I love how your poem begins and how you ended it. Favorite line:
ReplyDelete"I bartered my hourglass of sand for its petalled serenity"
This is really 'the language of letting go' and it is so beautiful:
ReplyDelete'As bare red maple trees wanting nothing
But crimson orange sunset, quicksilver of light'
- A fitting tribute to the Buddha on this day!
May I ask if this is about you leaving your birth place for Canada, I can feel both a longing for what you lost, and a love for the present with it's maple and ice... or did I overinterpret?
ReplyDeleteA little bit, more of self acceptance of one's journey. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Bjorn.
DeleteWords strung like a necklace of beautiful pearls. I feel a sadness, though.
ReplyDeleteTerrific piece Grace - I particularly liked "jar' - right in the middle there - a foreshadowing of the poet's thwarted ambition - and then resolution/realisation - and 'books braided on tailwinds' is lovely to say out loud - as well as a sparkling clear image.
ReplyDeleteThis sentence is fabulous: I bartered my hourglass of sand for its petalled serenity. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBoldly captured, Grace, Love the holding jar forever.
ReplyDeleteThis piece has such feeling and longing in it. It's beautifully penned, Grace.
ReplyDeleteThere is a receptacle of honey & beeswax
ReplyDeleteI wanted to jar & hold it {forever}
Yes, don’t we all want to hold on the sweetness. Knowing words here Grace, well written.
I could really feel each line! These lines were exceptional: "As bare red maple trees wanting nothing But crimson orange sunset," The kite imagery is the true enlightenment where we finally take flight. A perfect ending after our suffering of the split heart in the opening lines! <3
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful and mystifying!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to jar & hold it {forever}
ReplyDeleteBut its stem faltered, wanting nothing
The desire to hold onto that which cannot be held. This is what I felt in your poem.
Grace, this is beautiful and deep. The hourglass symbolic of time and life. You have woven the season in as well. I have to admit this made feel a bit teary eyed.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent ending:
ReplyDelete“Let go, carry on {kite}
Filled with wishbones & books braided on tailwinds”
I bartered my hourglass of sand for its petalled serenity
ReplyDeleteA great line. We all seem to be searching for that fountain of youth and love, but in the end we all end up the same!
With the title "Flight" and these words "I sink to earth's moss & inhale icy musk of death" --- for me, the meaning and the connection of this poem lies here. The bartering to exchange the hourglass of sand (time relentlessly moving, flip it, let the sand drip again; to dos and hectic to get dones) for petalled serenity....a letting go indeed. Just a beautiful write.
ReplyDeleteI especially like "As bare red maple trees wanting nothing
ReplyDeleteBut crimson orange sunset"
As if accepting what will not last as being part of the cycle we endure.
Those opening lines really are the stuff of myth! Lovely!
ReplyDeleteMystical with a capital M- stunning Grace.
ReplyDeleteThe risk and cost of exchange...this is stunning!
ReplyDelete"Filled with wishbones & books braided on tailwinds" I am envious of that line :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poetry, Grace. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI like the line you chose. Don't we long for the "chaos of summer"!?
ReplyDeleteGorgeous writing, Grace.
ReplyDelete