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Open Poetry #38
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Always, With Love
| Open Poetry #38 |
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Always, With Love |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California 
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For Elizabeth Grace (now she is three!) ...and then the turmoil over the falling into light and cold of cloth the last hiccup softly sung there within your own beginning you quieted yourself. Your lower lip still trembling from your cry, within the sound my own milk drops again in phantom ache to mother, I touch your hair instead, your hair beyond soft, the color of a moonless sky.  Naked with your belly pressed to sheet, not pleased with placement you lift your head and look the other way, a most extraordinary feat. At that instant I see the truth of temperament, know something of your tenacity and will, envy the strength that turns your head away from mother to be within yourself. Not because I feel you turn from love, just see the strength in you that is already a song, someday you will be, yes, strong enough to get along. One finger touch across your naked back is touching a place never worn, of air in morning above the dew before the sun has opened, that is you. Your closed eyelids filled with tiny veins in graceful ballerina dance a feel of wonder....and of the power of something beyond life itself, something from the other place where maps are made. Maps are ever changing things, the folding left sometimes to chance, the weather beaten ones I hold so dear I wish for you to keep to find your way on small unlit dirt path instead of the dark line of road, and know the road you forge within yourself to be the most important goal. I wish your choices to be hard ones your walls and doors most difficult to build the value of the space and time around you, strong enough to open what you've filled I will be here watching in wonder your unfold, I'll be your basin catch or higher hand to move, adviser old an angel filled with poetry and prose, the teacher of the tender, I give to you the heart that felt your father grow into the man that holds you now with the love I helped him show.  |
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| © Copyright 2006 Martie Odell Ingebretsen - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Brian James Member
since 2005-06-26
Posts 147Winnipeg |
Amazing, and beautiful. I don't expect much less, though. It's getting harder and harder for me to give any useful commentary on your poems, because they seem more and more like little miracles themselves. If there's one thing I loved more than anything else in this poem, it's the gentle tone that solemnly declares things like "a most extraordinary feat," and "yes, strong enough to get along." The meter is especially brilliant, because it is supersubtle. It flows magically but without being sung, just spoken. This is my favourite stanza: quote:That's the kind of poetry that makes me want to crawl out of obscurity and speak up more often on piptalk. This is really, really amazing poetry. It's the kind of poetry that makes me want to become a famous literary critic just so I can sing your praises as the poet of our times. You deserve a lot of recognition for this kind of writing. Thanks for sharing this with us. The pictures are wonderful, as well.  Brian "To me, the thing that art does for life is to clean it, to strip it to form." |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
"makes me want to become a famous literary critic" Brian dear....in my humble opinion, you already are! Thankyou. |
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Brian James Member
since 2005-06-26
Posts 147Winnipeg |
Martie, I could hardly be a famous literary critic with comments like "this is the kind of poetry that..." which I used a bit too much. Forgive me for having trouble putting it precisely to words, but please believe me when I say I love this poem. "To me, the thing that art does for life is to clean it, to strip it to form." |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Smiling at the thought of this little one being three already... and chuckling a wee bit at Brian... he's a most constructive critic...and anyone who gets his eye, grows with his suggestions. Thank you for posting this again, Martie... where did those three years ago? |
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Marge Tindal 
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
SisterMartie~ 'One finger touch across your naked back is touching a place never worn, of air in morning above the dew before the sun has opened, that is you. Your closed eyelids filled with tiny veins in graceful ballerina dance' So grandmotherly tender are your thoughts for and about Elizabeth Grace~ Treasures beyond measure for her grown-up years~ A new photo of the three year old young lady is coming, right ?  *Huglets* to you sweets~ ~*Marge*~ ~*The sound of a kiss is not as strong as that of a cannon, but it's echo endures much longer*~ |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
how beautiful...gorgeous! thank you for sharing and making me smile! |
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poettothecars Senior Member
since 2006-02-10
Posts 1093New Zealand |
an adoring tribute a poet who cares |
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seraphin Senior Member
since 2000-09-24
Posts 1004Michigan |
Such a wonderful work. Stirs up memories of long ago. Keep a watchful eye, my friend, as you blink one moment, and the next, they are flying out the door. |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
 ~Because some precious growing angels deserve to be shown~ Love you, Grandma Martie ~*The sound of a kiss is not as strong as that of a cannon, but it's echo endures much longer*~ |
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Goodknight Member Elite
since 2002-06-15
Posts 2386Ohio, USA |
WOnderful Martie!!!!! Paul |
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sandgrain Member Elite
since 1999-09-21
Posts 3662Sycamore, IL, USA |
This is beautiful. I enjoyed each word in every line. What an insightful mom you are. Rae |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Love is the blanket that warms the soul of a Gramma and you look all snuggled down with this one wrapped around you. My, but time sure goes by far too quickly hard to believe she is now three. Beautiful Martie, just beautiful. |
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The Lady Member Rara Avis
since 2005-12-26
Posts 7634The Southwest |
All I can say is... "Oh Martie, how lovely!" |
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