Interior landscape
invisible scars —
palpable from
from the circuitous
roads of childhood
that wind among
old hills, and
run like a map
under my veins —
on days like these
old scars
ache
old roads
become suddenly
magnetic
old hills
suddenly
rise again,
their slopes moving
past the angle
of repose
tumbling me with
scabbed knees
back into
childhood
falling, I
search the enfolding
darkness for pinpoints
of light, openings,
beginnings
to begin again
and again
as I have
and will
again
***
Photo: Peonies in last night's sunset
posted by MB at 9:35 AM
27 Comments:
Your metaphors tug at the strings of my soul like many musical pieces that stir me from my frozen state of fear.
How is it that we are on similar paths of consciousness, Mb?
O, I hear you, MB. And they rise on their own schedule, not on ours.
xoxo
MB,
But we are stronger
here,
these places where
we have been burnt
and broken,
These aching shadows
of times now gone,
and people we were
in other ages
of the earth.
Mermaid, better to be stirred than shaken? (Sorry, just a little gentle humor.) Similarities, connections with others, like ours, are a gift.
Dale, thank you. That they rise on their own schedule shakes me in ways that force me to relearn or learn anew. I'm not sure I'd learn as much if I were meeting my own challenges. ;-)
Firehawk, thank you for this lovely addendum of truth. Aching shadows... Mended places are never the same, but are places of strength and healing as well as tenderness.
and with new beginnings, new scars, new marks. for without risking something we do not grow. your words touch so close to home for me. sisters from another place.
thanks!
...sorry, too fast on the trigger! I meant to say how gorgeous your peony image is. Perfect light - looks like an old english painting.
the will to live, the powerful tug of survival - the ultimate joy of life...
ohhhh the peonies! so tenderly beautiful in such gentle light.
are they difficult to grow?
I like this one alot.
"tumbling me with scabbed knees back into childhood"... see it and feel it when you write it... it's been kind of like this for me lately too. thanks for giving voice to this experience.
The photograph is such a perfect complement for the poem. I can almost SEE those beginnings...
Peonies need ants to bloom, a visceral realization of childhood.
To really see, eyes need to see for the first time. Zen Mind, Beginner Mind.
“Porque también somos lo que, hemos perdido…” (Because we are also what we have lost). Lovely poem and photo MB.
those peonies are breath taking and the poem is incredible.
Winding roads, winding veins, words winding into my heart...
You always do!
alan
La photo est fantastique !
La lumière !
Une oeuvre de grand peintre !
Stunning, MB. Photo and words, both.
Scabbed knees is a particularly evocative comparison, somehow ...
i love their slopes moving
past the angle
of repose partly because i don't understand it literally but find it delicious on another level.
This is so wonderful. Both exquisite and bold, satisfying and unbearable. And the photo - oh! It's really beautifulin its own right, like a Flemish flower painting, but also, so evocative of the texture of skin and blood, scars beneath the skin.
Whew.
Very evocative.
In fact, pardon me while I drift back to the dark starlit edge -- roads magnetic are pulling me...
It has been a long time since old scars have ached in me, but this poem reminds me vividly of that sense memory. The light in the photograph is quite beautiful, like it will eventually spread into the darkest corners and illuminate all.
Anne, risk is a necessary part of staying alive, it's true. I'm honored that you like the photo.
Sky, I'd like to know if they are easy to grow, too. I don't grow them. These are cut flowers, a gift.
rdl, thank you very much.
Snowsparkle, then may this help leverage you out of darkness and back into light, my friend!
Patry, thank you. Your presence and perceptiveness are always appreciated.
zhoen, yes, attention to this moment and the beauty of it seems to answer so much.
Danny, Amores Perros? Si, es verdad. Gracias por sus palabras generosas. Thank you for your generous words and for visiting.
Jennifer, welcome! And thank you very much.
Alan, I am very grateful that you appreciate my winding ways!
Jean, je vous remercie! Mots comme ceux-ci sont precieux, venant d'un photographe comme vous-meme.
Mary, thank you so much.
Ruth, I'm glad you find the moving moving.
Jean, lovely to hear from you. Thank you for your insight into the visual evocation of flesh and blood.
Lori, I recommend not drifting too far, if you can help it. ;-) The present moment is the best.
Robin, thanks for dropping by. The old scars ache much less frequently for me these days. I'm glad you saw the connection with the light in the photograph.
Achingly beautiful... want to hug you. The peonies are, oh beyond words.
Glowing peonies - i want to catch and hold their glow
The poetry is so moving! perhaps as you begin again and again, the rest of us may take courage from your words and climb along with you.
Brenda, thank you so much.
Endment, I wanted to catch that glow, too! It was an exquisite moment to which the photograph only begins to do justice. Thank you for your words of companionship... I wouldn't wish anyone else to have to make that repeated climb, but for those that do I am glad of the company!
Kasturi, I am so happy you shared that wonderful quote. In its simplicity, it says a great deal.
Those peonies are so beautiful they're unreal, they look like an oil painting.
I always like your poetry too. I have just set up a new poetry blog - http://boltsofsilk.blogspot.com. I'd be delighted if you wanted to send me some (up to 6) poems to include (poems short enough to fit in the computer screen, that haven't been published in the last six months, if they've been published before that let me know where and send me your name, location and blog address. I can't promise to include all you send, of course, more details are on that blog or on my main blog (Crafty Green Poet, http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com) I can't pay but all contributors will get a link to their blog on the sidebar as well as in the entry containing their poem. I look forward to hearing from you - please let other poets know too! Thanks
Lovely, lovely peonies. I can almost smell them.
I also love the line -- stanza, I guess -- "on days like these / old scars / ache." I actually see that portion as a complete poem all by itself.
Interesting use of the angle of friction/repose... The peonies are luscious, very satisfying to the eye.
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