The River by Lisa Barnes
There's a new moon made of glass
hanging over the mountain,
and an alabaster shawl
draped along its slopes.
Nine swans huddle at the river's edge
and my solitary heart
is floating in the mist
along its shore.
I have lived in this valley
for fifteen years,
with only half my heart,
and I am still just a visitor here,
perched, like Raven,
on the topmost branch
of the jagged scrag,
gauging the horizon,
gathering my wings
in readiness
to fly.
for Karin's prompt at Real Toads: halves, by half, halvsies. Day 19.
This is so beautiful.... love the imagery :D
ReplyDeleteNine swans huddle at the river's edge
and my solitary heart
is floating in the mist
along its shore.
The poem itself is graceful just like the swans mentioned here :D
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Ah. I hope you get back to the sea! A very poignant poem! Thanks for participating, Sherry. K. (Manicddaily)
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThere's a new moon made of glass
hanging over the mountain,
and an alabaster shawl
draped along its slopes..... I am just envious of that magical sentence.
WOW... the first stanza just pulled me into the beauty of the landscape... yet if there is another place we will always just be guests.. a half presence.
ReplyDeletegesh, sherry this was awesome.
ReplyDeleteZQ
SO much beauty!~ And yet when your heart is elsewhere you are "perched, like Raven,
ReplyDeleteon the topmost branch
of the jagged scrag,
gauging the horizon"
ready to fly.
The sense of that longest journey, the shortness of our visit here, permeates this with peace and longing both, Sherry. Your first stanza is especially beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSherry, you need a place where you are more than just a visitor....time to fly!
ReplyDeleteSome lovely images here: "alabaster shawl", in particular - a inspired piece of phraseology. I really related to the poem, Sherry, as I, too, feel like a visitor where I live . . . sigh . . .
ReplyDeleteYour opening wowed the britches off me!! I love the thought of that glass moon...the rest that follows is as mystical as the image you chose. Beautiful work, Sherry...I so enjoyed this.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful. I feel the yearning. May you soon use your wings.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say... The idea of living somewhere for that long with just half one's heart makes my eyes tear up... Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteFly well! (Meanwhile, what a beautiful poem (again).
ReplyDeleteyour wings are flapping testing the wind. and your raising your voice up to the sky howling with your friends. their attire is made of fur that are meant to roam to promulgate the inspirational soul of the forest and yours is made of feathers awaiting the wind to ready itself for you to fly.
ReplyDeletebeautiful, mi amiga
Very cool piece. This poem lets me visit your valley!
ReplyDeleteWow Sherry. This poem comes straight from your heart. I can feel the palpitations, the longing to fly.
ReplyDeleteI have often wondered about people who are born in a place, grow up there, live their entire life and hardly ever move out. For some others, there seem to be wheels built into their system. Hard to understand which is the better way of living.
ReplyDeleteAlways in favour of those in readiness to fly!
Beautifully expressed, Sherry