To find the poet’s place, exit
concrete boulevard, travel mind-
star miles to a green hill overhanging
ocean (or a lake or merely more fields
of sheep and yesterday’s sum of time—
summer mist-cold and sheltered
by silence, silvered neighbors just there
if you need them, trees turned
by storm-wind, insect hum high
brook-chatter, the night-limned runner
far ahead, speeding path
to stone-walled moss-field
guarding or mourning
or both)
hide hollow below castle walls
note-soaring above modern city:
this mix of yes and no
push and pull and aching
almost-presence
the shadow of tomorrow
spilled in water
on upturned palms, pleading
There is no easy way to our hearts or minds is there? But the journey is the destination. xo
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Your words are wise, kind, uplifting…always makes my day to hear from you ❤
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And it makes my day to read you. So thank you for letting me in your space. 🙂
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yesterday’s sum of time – lovely
Jennifer, I so enjoy your poetry – always look forward to each post – K
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What a very lovely thing to say…and so encouraging because I think your work is beautiful. 🙂
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I really enjoyed this one. The phrasing and the words, so evocative.
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Thanks, Thom! I’ve been trying to get my brain off stress and back on poetry. Your encouragement means a lot!
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This made me smile as it kinda explains why I struggle with poetry as a genre. That is to say: I think poets have a unique skill set in their output and, try as I might, I just can’t find that address! I enjoyed the premise here and also the pacy way you tore through the directions. Good and original job!
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Thank you. That poetic sweet spot is certainly elusive!
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I love this. So delicate, as always. I don’t think there is a perfect place to be. It’s the dream, the striving that’s important. When you get there, you don’t necessarily realise it because the heart is already yearning after something else.
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Very true. And if there isn’t something to yearn after, there isn’t much point, is there? Thanks for your thought-provoking comment, Jane.
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It’s something that’s uppermost in my mind at the moment. We’re trying to decide where we will move to next. So far we’ve lived in places to fit in with work or school. The next move will be for us. It’s the dream coming true and it frightens me a little.
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Oh! I know what you mean. So many possibilities, all with their own beauties and drawbacks. Good luck! Looking forward to that phase in a few more years. 🙂
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We can’t actually move for several years yet—not until the youngest is through school. But it could take that long to find what we’re looking for, especially since we can’t decide exactly what that is!
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What rhythm and beauty! I tumbled along through your images like “spilled water on upturned palms” 🙂 – and many times, paused to bask.
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Thank you. You made your comment a poem. xo
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Did I!? Must have been inspired 🙂
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I think it’s the way you live. 🙂
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Oh, stop 🙂
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Oh, if only there were an express train there, to exactly the right poet place, ready to leave whenever we show up at the station.
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Right? But I think you have the ticket…
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No. I really had to force myself to finish that last one. It killed me to write to the doggerel form (i.e. purposeful chaos) and mess with the meter. I’m still fighting going back in there and making it right. So, your comment about my ridiculously long line was a comfort. Thank you.
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I think the doggerel aspect gave it a light touch of humor that perfectly offset the darker currents. And in your hands it was obviously deliberate. I have been shying away from the doggerel project myself, too chicken!
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That was the only way I could wrap my brain around doggerel: covering up a serious issue with humor kinda like how a vet, who is trained to adapt to any situation, would cover up his inability to cope.
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Wait. How did I get talking about my stuff on your post? Sorry.
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😀
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I really liked the way this started, from concrete to green hills, and the phrase “mind-star miles…” and it just got better from there. 🙂
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Aw, too kind. Thanks.
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This is beautiful – “mind-star miles,” “yesterday’s sum of time,” “stone-walled moss-field guarding or mourning.” I love how it becomes a little less structured and more abstract at the last moment – it makes me think of the more desperate moments of writing. 🙂
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Thank you, and yes, I believe desperation is in it. 🙂 It’s funny because I had space and stars in mind (somewhere), and then I read yours and thought, well, that’s where I want(ed) to go!
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“travel mind-
star miles to a green hill overhanging
ocean..” Eloquent stuff. **
Will try to visit your blog regularly.
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Thanks! I am always glad to see you here. 🙂
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OH. Those last lines. YES.
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Two responses:
1. Yes!
2. I would not have wanted to be the real estate agent who got this request from you.
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Ha! Our actual requests were quite easygoing. 🙂
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