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| Flickr Creative Commons Photo by dutchy_42 |
QUILTING
In the last patch
of evening-lit sky
above the river,
a single heron
stitches one bank to the other
with steady wingbeats.
Bats zigzag
the seams of the day
to prevent unraveling.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2015
Carol, at Carol's Corner, will join me again this year as often as possible.
Kimberley, at iWrite in Maine, is joining me this month.
Kay, at A Journey Through the Pages, is joining, too!
Kay is hunting joy.
Steve, at inside the dog, is sharing his poems
in the comments at Poetrepository.
Heidi, at my juicy little universe, will join us when she can.
Linda, at TeacherDance, will join as often as she can.
Check the comments at A Year of Reading or Poetrepository for her poems.
Kevin (Kevin's Meandering Mind) is back this year,
leaving poetry trax in the comments.
Jone, at DeoWriter, is doing a "double L" challenge.
She and I are cross-poLLinating our challenges whenever possible.
Great image! Now you have me thinking of new ways to imagine knitting.
ReplyDeleteI know I shouldn't have to explain how this poem fits with joy...but I will! :-) It's one of my very favorite end-of-a-lovely-afternoon-of-fly-fishing memories, so the joy is actually the savoring of the joy, and not so much the joy itself.
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note, I had a crazy-busy day yesterday and didn't manage to join the conversation about "acceptance," but I did think it was interesting that we all went with the "resignation" kind, and not the "part of a group" kind.
Isn't it funny that until you just mentioned the "part of a group" kind, I didn't even consider it as an option.
DeleteThis is lovely. Such a peaceful image. And again, the title. Wow! You are so good at titles.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that everyone went with resignation yesterday too. For a few minutes, I was actually playing with a recipe for acceptance. I might revisit it. Or take it to a sixth grade class who is writing some poetry this month and see what they do with it.
"Joy"
Even before
I remove key from lock
I hear her throwing herself
against the front door
She jumps in circles,
greeting me with much tail wagging.
Occasionally, she forgets her manners
and her paws end up on my shoulders
Pink tongue swipes my face.
"You are home! You are home!
I am so glad to see you!"
And then I say,
"Are you hungry?"
She races to the kitchen.
Slides into her food dish
Sending it spinning
in a noisy cymbal cacophony
against the floor and wall
More tail wagging.
An impatient bark
if her two-footed waitress
moves too slowly.
"Ready for a walk?"
Head pops up.
Ears go to full alert.
More tail wagging.
More barking.
"Hurry. Let's go.
Put on your shoes.
Where's the leash?
I love walks. Quick.
Hurry. Open the door.
Let's go. Let's go.
It smells so good out here."
Two miles done.
I take my seat on couch
Computer propped on knees
ready for an evening's work
She leaps up
presses her body
against my left hip
rests her chin on my forearm
and sighs contentedly.
It takes so little
to make her joy complete.
(C) Carol Wilcox, 2015
There is nothing like a dog's love. I love the way you show her excited-ness and joy.
DeleteI, too, have a draft of the "part of a group" kind.
DeleteCarol, you capture that unconditional puppy love. Nothing better!
DeleteWhat a beautiful image. I can't wait for my daughter to get home from school so I can share it with her since she quilts and will appreciate the metaphor. My poem to day is Hunting Joy
ReplyDeleteEven if it only felt
ReplyDeleteas if your feet were off the ground
Even if it only seemed
as if your heels were clicking together
Even if it was an invisible voice
singing in harmony with the moment
Even if it was only joy for an instant,
still hold true to the belief
that a single moment
can transform a lifetime
if only you let it happen.
--Kevin
I love your repeating "Even if..."
DeleteWe should never second guess those moments of joy, should we?
Kevin, I like the clicking heels and the invisible voice singing in harmony. Momentary and monumental.
DeleteOh, I love these images - "stitches one bank to the other" and "zigzag the seams of the day." I don't quilt, but I sure do love to watch nature!
ReplyDeleteI love this! "a single heron/stitches one bank to the other/
ReplyDeletewith steady wingbeats." I have a video in my head now of a heron flying to a soundtrack of sewing machine whirring...
I love your use of stitching as a metaphor for the birds' flights. Beautiful imagery. Magical. And yes, joy!
ReplyDeleteHolly, Laura, Margaret -- I was surprised when the sewing metaphor showed up. I had the "patch" of sky and the bats zigzagging, and I went from there!
ReplyDeleteMary Lee, your imagery is spot on, providing me with a joyful experience. My humble offering is at my blog, http://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2015/04/easters-joy.html. The poem revolves around the joy found while awaiting the blooming of the Easter LiLy in time for Resurrection Sunday.
ReplyDeleteOh, white-robed apostles of hope,
you gracefully unfold,
symbolizing hope and life
in the Resurrection.
Lovely, evocative imagery.
ReplyDelete