I Am From (Inspired by Amaryllis)

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OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2011-01-13 06:22 PM

I AM FROM
(inspired by Amaryllis)
Started 25 September 2010 – completed 13 January 2011

I am from
sun-leaf dreams
of horse and dog
and now cat too
gamboling in sky pastures
painting for me cloud messages
wide and warm
and different every day
without which
I would surely perish
or go insane.

I am from nature rambles
amongst zebras
and buck
and sun-sparkled butterflies,
my shoulders loved by
South African sun,
my eyes adulating
skies of piercing blue;
poring over
fascinating spoor
and tiny Anathacema laxa,
flowers in miniature petals song-red
that make me catch my breath
as I wander alone
so as not to desecrate,
with intrusive babble,
my worship of all that is born
of Earth and Sky and caroling Rivulet.

I am from tympanic words
on yellowed pages
of poetry books
read aloud
to honour
poets of yore
and of today’s blue pages,
and to savour slowly
the music of their souls
to the very throbbing core.

I am from faltering notes
of Beethhoven and Chopin
and Ole Faithful
on a trusty piano
in the corners of the night
so nobody can hear
and cringe
at musical aberrations
through years of neglect
to practise scales and reading sheet music.

I am from delicious ponderings
of matters grave and light,
monumental and miniscule,
analytical and spontaneous,
laden and exhilerating.

I am from a past of tears and laughter,
a present of panic and wonderment
a future of cowardice and courage.

I am from fragile glass
and solid rock.
I am from whispered sweet nothings
and reverberating renditions of the Halleluia Chorus

I am from a heavy trunk of mistakes
and a snowdrop birth of learning curves
that metamorphose into sculpted goals
rough-hewn at first,
but seeking to be finely honed
to hear the tremulous song of the Universe.

I am from a me
who wants no more
and no less
than to be
me.

Owl

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

1 posted 2011-01-13 06:42 PM

Wonderful, dear Diana!

You are from wondrous places that resonate in the Universe of Love.

Beautifully, uniquely you.

Love,
Margherita

steavenr
Member Elite

since 2003-11-17

Posts 4058

2 posted 2011-01-13 06:46 PM

if I only picked the parts I liked, I would have to copy & paste the entire write...so, please... permit me to pick my favorite cool lines:

"I am from fragile glass
and solid rock.
I am from whispered sweet nothings
and reverberating renditions of the Halleluia Chorus"

JerryPat
Senior Member

since 2010-10-30

Posts 1991
Louisiana/America

3 posted 2011-01-13 07:20 PM

This is a double-edged and wonderful poem to celebrate who you are as of today's date. Double-edged because you are capable of seeing the beauty and you and especially within yourself. On the other hand you are not arrogant enough to claim to to know what the future holds and you admit a bit of reservation (you called it cowardice) to the unknown, as well as you and everyone else should.

All in all, I think you are from a good place

"Whoever is not in his coffin and the dark grave let him know he has enough."-Robert Goolrick from "Reliable Wife"

faithmairee
Senior Member

since 2011-01-05

Posts 1441
Poe Haven, USA

4 posted 2011-01-13 08:13 PM

this is so beautiful...i enjoyed it to no end...good strong writing with a great flow to it and a powerful delivery...i love it!

Faith

There must be a poem in here somewhere.

latearrival
Member Ascendant

since 2003-03-21

Posts 5499
Florida

5 posted 2011-01-13 09:53 PM

Some how I put that all together and compressed it tightly and a wondrous bright shiny diamond appeared within your words. You are Diamond, stronger than you think, hard and shiny,and glittering bright.

jo

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

6 posted 2011-01-13 09:57 PM

Diana,

I think this is one of the most magical
"I Am" poems that have been produced to
date.

You...are magical. And your gifts are even
more so.

God bless you, gal. You ARE a treasure!

K

The Lady
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-12-26

Posts 7634
The Southwest

7 posted 2011-01-14 12:52 PM

oh Diana
this is so you!
you are indeed a song
beautifully sung
and deeply felt.

"I am from nature rambles
amongst zebras
and buck
and sun-sparkled butterflies,
my shoulders loved by
South African sun,"

ethome
Member Patricius

since 2000-05-14

Posts 11858
New Brunswick Canada

8 posted 2011-01-14 02:20 AM

This beautiful Diana.

All those extracts from the wonderful world of life's experiences are so eloquently penned by you.
The depth of your emotion for these feelings goes straight through the reader's eyes into the heart, that's always an accomplishment.

I love this beautiful honesty.

"I am from faltering notes
of Beethhoven and Chopin
and Ole Faithful
on a trusty piano
in the corners of the night
so nobody can hear
and cringe
at musical aberrations
through years of neglect
to practise scales and reading sheet music."

Makes me think of the famous Canadian pianist Glen Gould and how some struugle with music (like me) and others (like him) have it pouring from their brain, through their heart, through their veins and out through their fingertips.

Just superb writing Diana!

Eric

Love does not look after it's own interests.

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis

since 2007-09-16

Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California

9 posted 2011-01-14 02:24 AM

Your lovely, sensitive soul shines through in this stunningly beautiful poem, Diana. Bravo!
Ida

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

10 posted 2011-01-14 12:22 PM

I am overwhelmed by the beautiful, kind, sensitive responses of all of you.

However, I appear to have led you all astray by leaving out an awful lot because I am not nearly as great as you all seem to think – I thought I had put in the bad bits, but perhaps I was feeling sorry for myself  and didn’t notice that I wasn’t seeing them.  I try, yes, but, I never seem to reach my goals.  I try to be kind, but I can be foul; I try to be selfless, but I can be very selfish – although – “selfless” – therein lies a pondering – it is my humble opinion that one should accord oneself the same importance that one accords others, neither more, nor less, generally speaking – but in certain extenuating circumstances, more – and in other extenuating circumstances, less.  There I go rambling again – yes, I talk too much – and I must be awful, as pretty much all of the few family members I have have rejected me – and that is telling – they can’t ALL be wrong!!!  Here on the blue pages, it is easy to look better or worse than one is, depending on one’s mood/thoughts/opinions at the time we enter the blue doors.  I know I often avoid the blue pages when I am not feeling social – OK, end of rambling.

Thank you, Margherita.  Yes, I am from wondrous places.  I think we all are, but some of us are lucky to see that.  When I was a teenager many years ago, I copied all sorts of things, but mainly poems – some my own, some I found that touched me, written by others - into a book called “Different Things (well there was Book 1, 2 and 3 of Different Things over time), and if there was space at the bottom of the page, I copied in a quote that I felt was worth preserving – possibly some trite, some clichéd, some corny and others too saccharine-laden, but they appealed to me then, and they still all do, a couple of favourites being, “My child, you couldn’t possibly have inherited my feet because I am still wearing them” and  “Feet are there to keep one’s legs from fraying at the bottom”, both heard on SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) TV – but unfortunately I didn’t write down the authors.  Those were just asides (I’m rambling again).  The one I want to refer to is “All of us are in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”   I am an inveterate star-gazer, but sometimes there are no stars in my sky.  I wanted to put in the author of the quote, but I have just looked through all of Different Things Books 1, 2 and 3 and I can’t find it.  I really could have sworn it was in one of them.  I also feel that I have the author's name on the tip of my tongue and playing hide-and-seek in my brain, but I haven't managed to corner it yet - Oscar Wilde, maybe?  Aha! Just thought to Google it.  I was right.  It was Oscar Wilde.  Here is a link to the site I found, if anyone would like to read more of his quotes: http://thinkexist.com/quotes/oscar_wilde/

Thank you, Steaven.  I really appreciate your kind words.  I am so glad you liked it so much.

Thank you, Jerry.  I loved what you said.  I often feel that people only see a fragment of who I am, and don’t really like or appreciate even the little bit they do actually see, but I am content with who I am (well . . . smiles . . .  most of the time!)  I know you were talking about my not being arrogant about proclaiming to know the future,and you are right about that, but I know I am guilty of arrogance in other regards, and I don’t like that.

Thank you, Faith.  I am so glad you enjoyed it so much.

Thank you, Jo.  What a lovely thing to say and a delightful way of saying it!  I am stronger than you and I think, and weaker than you and I think.  I have never been described as a diamond before, and I am very honoured.

Karilea, your reply was magical and it had a magical effect on me, you magician, you!  I like being called a treasure, but I don’t think I deserve it.  Thank you.

Kate, I am heart-encircled by your exquisite words and basking in their import.  Thank you.

Thank you, Eric, I am gratified that my words have reached you and others so deeply.  Glen Gould may well have music flowing from his brain through his heart, through his veins and out through his fingertips . . . but Eric has music pouring IN through his entire skin, through his veins, through his heart, into his brain and coming to rest in his spirit forever more.   Now, who would you rather be?

Thank you, Ida.  I aspire to be who you believe me to be.

Owl

Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

11 posted 2011-01-14 01:45 PM

Diana....You are from heart and vision and appreciation of truth and magic and very special to me.

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

12 posted 2011-01-14 02:09 PM

Wow, Martie, wow! I am speechless (few people render me speechless!). Thank you for all of that, but most especially for being special to you.

Owl

ethome
Member Patricius

since 2000-05-14

Posts 11858
New Brunswick Canada

13 posted 2011-01-14 02:20 PM

I'd say you're just fine.
Anyone who can be that honest right here like you've been is alright in my books.

Tell ya the truth I think the world needs more people just like you.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Have a great day and remember there's always sunshine after rain.

Eric

Love does not look after it's own interests.

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

14 posted 2011-01-14 02:44 PM

Thank you Eric. You are part of that sunshine.

Owl

Amaryllis
Senior Member

since 2010-05-20

Posts 1306
Mi now

15 posted 2011-01-14 09:02 PM

Hi Owl!

My, I had forgotten the fun we were all having with the `I Am` poems!...But what a treat to find this one, today...it is just such a lovely, lovely write. I`m with Sunshine..this one is instantly one of my faves! You take us on a glittering journey through who you are, where you live, and what it means to be you..(well, partially..I suppose it would take an entire volume of books to encapsulate `who` any of us are, really!)

Your gift for writing is a pleasure to read...such engaging imagery, sensate and woven with beautiful sonics, too. I felt that sun on my own shoulders, reading this. Thank you for that!
And I`m with Eric...don`t be too hard on yourself...we all have both virtues and faults, of course...but may I say your gifts sure seem to outshine any darkness!

Focus on that, my dear.
What a delightful poem.

All my best~
Amaryllis

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

16 posted 2011-01-14 11:59 PM

Thank you Amaryllis, for taking the journey through who I am and enjoying it and appreciating who I am and feeling the South African sunshine on your shoulders and your kind words about my poetry and my shortcomings. Thank you, too, for starting the “I Am From” poems.

Owl

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