Poetry, memoir,blogs and photographs from my world on the west coast of Canada.
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Monday, September 23, 2013
A Thousand Years of Living
When we walk through speckled landscapes where the shape-shifters dance,
we are walking in the footsteps of the ones who came before.
There are signposts they have left us all across the forest floor.
A thousand years of living - we dont set our sail by chance.
We are walking in the footsteps of the ones who came before.
The Old Ones' songs I hear upon the breeze.
A thousand years of living - we dont set our sail by chance.
I sing wolfsong to the mountains and knock on midnight's door.
The Old Ones' songs I hear upon the breeze,
under my feet the brittle leaves of summer past.
I sing wolfsong to the mountains and knock on midnight's door.
The night air whispers: here you are, at last!
Under my feet the brittle leaves of summer past.
There are signposts they have left us all across the forest floor.
The night air whispers: here you are, here you are at last!
Walking through a speckled landscape where the shape-shifters dance.
Argh. My lines are too long for the margins. Cant fix them. I am posting this for Real Toads Open Link, where I was amazed to just read Kerry's wonderful poem in memoriam of a slain poet, referring to the elders and footsteps. I have been working on this pantoum last night and this morning, and it was freaky to find myself somewhat on the same wavelength as another poet, which happens sometimes. Please dont miss Kerry's beautiful tribute here. And check out the links at Toads. Always wonderful poetry on open link Monday.
The pantoum is a perfect form for this poem as the repetitions prove the point again and again. It is so true, and a blessing too, that the signposts are there eager for us ...
ReplyDeleteflows like a beautiful song
ReplyDelete'A thousand years of living - we dont set our sail by chance'........beautifully describes the veneration for 'the ones who came before'...and the blessing 'The night air whispers: here you are, here you are at last! is for us all.....i like the reciprocation...
ReplyDeleteI like this Sherry. It has a wonderful rhythm and message.
ReplyDeleteI adore pantoums, but they are a LOT of work. I seldom find the time to work on one - truth be told I'm a lazy writer. Yours resounds with a sense of antiquity, or being connected to something bigger than ourselves with invisible threads.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the mention of my poem today. It is not a very happy topic but I woke up this morning feeling like I had something that needed to be said.
I love . . . where the shape shifters dance. Beautifully visual.
ReplyDeleteTo heck with the form; this poem is gorgeous. Your thoughts about the forest floor resonate, as there are so many magical, "thin" places in the deep forest, and I do believe the ancestors leave us markers, if only we are willing to see them. Great work, Sherry, strong. Amy
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful, Sherry.
ReplyDeletethis is marvelous, Sherry
ReplyDeleteWonderful Sherry! I agree it is so lyrical~
ReplyDeleteI too think there are many signs and we should heed them all~
this carries a haunting quality to it sherry....truth though in that we walk the footsteps of those that have gone on before us...and in that our stories entwine just a bit...
ReplyDeleteNot familiar with this form but the lines put thru the margin does not detract from the visual impact. As with reading aloud our minds set the emphasis and meter....
ReplyDeleteCylic sense of ongoing life far from vanishing or eternity today's dust on which to stand...
So ghostly in quality speckled specters on the landscape those before us still within... How vast into the horizons... you make me think of the small steps to come, that our ghostly part and steps will somewhere cast a long path of shadows... this is definitely blue sky yet stardreaming....
I wouldn't worry about the size of the lines. The content of this is enough to haunt us into remembering the ghosts that roam before us. Made me consider that someday our own footsteps will be there. Hope we follow a fruitful path. Really good writing Sherry.
ReplyDeleteKnock on midnight's door... is very intriguing. This is a lovely tribute to never forget, to carry the essence of those we love and admire inside.
ReplyDeleteit's an enchanting little rhythm that beats underfoot in your dance. the brittled leaves of summers past was the stake in my chest. there's a wonderful excitement here of reaching a major junction in a journey, a true moment of joy we all have deep memories of inside our deepest well. ha! you inspired me:)
ReplyDeleteHey Sherry--I visited this poem and thought that I had commented but I've been running around lately and mistaking the thought for the deed. This has such a beautiful cadence and imagery--it fits its subject to very well--There's a kind of wind whistle about it. Thanks. k.
ReplyDeleteI think that the ability to shapeshift gets us thru life, don't you? Hugs.
ReplyDelete