When life has worn you into
an unthinking shell
without words
and you sit, blinking into space,
in a place of No Thought,
tap the lifeline
of poetry
that lifts your heart
out of its everyday concerns,
into the realm
of midnight moons
and hungry ghosts.
Look up into the raven sky
and chart the silver moon goddess
as she trails mystery
like a gossamer cloak
across the heavens.
Poetry
remembers that life
is more than bread and worry,
that it is beauty and aliveness
and gilt-edged miracle.
It is the suspension of disbelief
and the fastening of one's heart
on Possibility
and Promise.
on Possibility
and Promise.
It is the lifting of one's eyes
above the "raveled sleeve of care"
to remember music,
the dance of language,
love,
and the silver shining sea,
forever ebbing and flowing
upon a shore lined
with old growth,
and then fastening
one's heart
one's heart
and vision
and belief
firmly
upon that.
For Susan's prompt at What's Going On - What IS it about poetry? The quote is from Macbeth.
"Poetry remembers that life is more than bread and worry." For me, that is the most strriking phrase in your poem, Sherry. Poetry has been with us through so much. and always helps us see the "Possibility of Promise."
ReplyDeleteBeautiful - the possibilities of positive poetry... though with all that's happening I think there are no more words... I'm struggling to get through Napo...
ReplyDeleteO Sherry! "Poetry
ReplyDeleteremembers that life
is more than bread and worry,
that it is beauty and aliveness
and gilt-edged miracle." You make the world more poetic than it is. How I love this poem! How I need your poetry!
Every word is a true beauty. We are living because of this "lifeline of poetry", these days. You've captured poetry in its true spirit, Sherry : "Poetry
ReplyDeleteremembers that life
is more than bread and worry,".....Beautiful.
Your poem really hits the spot, Sherry, as we have all been that poet In search of a poem. I for one enjoy tapping into the ‘realm of midnight moons and hungry ghosts’ and sometimes they tap into me. These lines spoke to me:
ReplyDelete‘Poetry
remembers that life
is more than bread and worry,
that it is beauty and aliveness
and gilt-edged miracle.’
Brilliant poem it captures so much - i love that it takes us to a special place where were can experience each others miracle. Well done.
ReplyDeleteYou are right....poetry is a gilt edged miracle and you do it so well. Exceptional work...just beautiful Sherry !
ReplyDeleteI nicked your illustration because I thought it was part of the prompt...Sorry !.....Rall(smiles)
No worries, I got it off the web. Up for grabs.
DeletePoetry does indeed lift the heart - I just love this part. That is where you will find my poetic heart for sure. The whole poem is lovely, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteinto the realm
of midnight moons
and hungry ghosts.
Truedessa
So much to love in this poem. This stanza really reached out to me.
ReplyDelete"Poetry
remembers that life
is more than bread and worry,
that it is beauty and aliveness
and gilt-edged miracle.
It is the suspension of disbelief
and the fastening of one's heart
on Possibility
and Promise."
Beautiful writing
"Poetry
ReplyDeleteremembers that life
is more than bread and worry," Yes indeed.
Poetry is something I fell into pretty much by accident. Now it is surely a lifeline. Thanks for encouraging me over the years!
ReplyDeleteSo beautifully crafted, Sherry, taking us to a place of pure poetry, one that
ReplyDelete"remembers that life
is more than bread and worry,
that it is beauty and aliveness
and gilt-edged miracle."
This is beautiful. And that third stanza that many others have remarked on is just exceptionally fabulous.
ReplyDelete