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These days, kids, I am busy archiving a rather large body of work, in hopes it will be preserved after I am gone....(we live in hope!) This morning I came across one of my early poems, written in 1961, when I was 15. Thought I would share it with you today.
1961
We walk in half-steps.
Let my kindred spirit
(submerged within the masked
We walk in half-steps.
Let my kindred spirit
(submerged within the masked
and groping present)
Grasp hands; as giants
Grasp hands; as giants
fleeing before the wind,
Let us find Truth:
Let us find Truth:
the depth of life’s real beauty;
Or
wander into spring
on trembling willow-whispers;
Or waft with summer’s
Or waft with summer’s
mellow tranquility.
Let us claim stark beauty
Let us claim stark beauty
unadorned: a naked tree
Pointing a time-bent bough,
Pointing a time-bent bough,
a rain-wet street and, after dark,
a Haunting
melody that softly fades
And dies away.
And dies away.
Considerable angst, given my age. But I am happy to note nature had caught my eye, even then.
My dear this is NOT the poem of a 15 year old! How eloquent and how bold. I love it.
ReplyDeleteSherry, you were an amazing poet even at 15 years old. It is very interesting to me that the subjects that are closest to your heart today were already important to you at such a young age. This must really make you smile, Sherry, when you read a poem by the young you who is so much the same as the you that you are today.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you have kept your early poems, Sherry. Very good for a 15 year old. I sadly do not own such treasures. I can see you already felt a strong connection with nature.
ReplyDeleteYour voice is recognizable here, even in this early poem. And like Mary said, you have strayed away from those things you learned to value early on,
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Not strayed, sorry...getting tired,
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
I quite love you then. Wow. Sometimes I read words of mine from back then and I don't understand them at all, but you, Sherry, have lots in common with your teen self!
ReplyDeleteWow--your voice is so much the same. Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing. k.
ReplyDeleteWow--you found yourself so early! This is so much the you I know today through your work!
ReplyDeleteHonestly - you have stayed true to your voice since the beginning! Wow.
ReplyDelete