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Open Poetry #41
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deft-whisk flour (the adirondack chair)
| Open Poetry #41 |
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deft-whisk flour (the adirondack chair) |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738
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I confess. I feel the same. I divide the cells and they look at me like I take names when the teacher leaves the class. Like my brain is bubbling like a mad pipe bad-pipe-dream forcing Mr. Bubble gleam in that tin tub in the yard where the "warch-clorth" dried too hard in those scrubbie sun-dried squares that my aunt took to my skin burnt and roughed to purplin' after afternoons of thin green un-yun without the bloom the kind that made ya cry there in the space behind the chicken wire-- back where chickens lost their head-- sometimes six a year. Shallots and some mirlaton praying heart leaves like two palms virtuous and symmetry and shade of bay leaf sympathy bellpepper and yellow-green banana bites deceptively underneath the Japanese plum tree so suggestively velvet droplets within reach of me who knew the taste of sweet sweat made lovely manifest as if the Sun himself had wept just so I could eat and let the sands of alchemy protest their rounded ripen fruit of worth burst the first cell, running--spurt-- through the marathon of thirst diving headlong into cursed personal longevity. Bricks all leaned so lovingly tilted just for spite of spikes t'keep the gnomes from nesting long to urge that crickets hop along the rough edge of the brick was hewn so gardens would be less a home for slugs and them we wished away worshipping the Ladybugs-- smashing one was bad, bad, luck-- orange ones were special, 'cause they left kisses on our arms-- if you slapped 'em hard. Baby lizards in the hedge the difference of rock and egg and how we swept those lovingly with a gentle knowing palm bringing up a fingerburst of blessing to our innocent lips together saying "shhhhhhhhh" cover-them-protectively patting gentle warm from harm wishing once to watch 'em hatch. Petinuas were all alike until I looked them in the face: That one had a streak of lace-- something ate the petals pressed like the eyelet in a dress that the ladies always wear... that other one was candy-cane - striped like the sky was bared caught while she was unaware in the morning rays of sun. My gramps he had this real nice chair. It had a back just like a fan with fingers for a giant man that held me in the patterning of the breeze and leaves that fell sometimes fuzzy on my cheek and there was always crackling of bacon from the kitchen grease (deft-whisk flour in the pan) and they called me "mon cherie" as well as other things they said that I didn't need to know and let me taste the strawberries laughing off their lips in time to a three chord Sears guitar and a hurt harmonica with Walter's old accordian dazzling duct tape... God I hated baths. |
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Kalle Member
since 2007-10-15
Posts 89Finland |
Much as I hate poetry of this sort I have always held a corner of my mind to it in its favor This is excellent and I hate it I don`t want to like i, but I can`t help myself (Is this contradictory) Perhaps, then allow me to reassert my statement. The fact that it resembles mindflow partly in a brainjanglejunglejamble sense , it still shows in its essence the keepance of structure, that it is arbitrarily held together, in the form of legitimate poetry in accordance to the rhyming, yet it holds no context in itself, there is no form, save for that of correlative memory-structure, that is, though somewhat culture-related, always deeply personal, and owing to that a dire read, yet Very good and bad, still a joy to read and yet baffling, and therefore Tiring... |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
I misspelled petunia too. I'm gonna leave it though. Now it amuses me. *laughing*  |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
quote: Though I didn't grasp everything fully, I absorbed the global atmosphere of this captivating write, dear Karen. And I shuddered at the idea of the bath there, aunts can be so tremendously sadic, I had some of that kind. You evoke images, that remain impressed ... Love, Margherita |
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Marge Tindal 
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Serenity~ You know what you made me think of, don't you ? Well ... here it is - originally posted a long time ago~ Starched Petunias ~*Marge Tindal*~  Here they stand attentive waiting for the wind Holding on - not letting go yet willing to bend Starched petunias stand the ready in the guarded aftermath Let no wind blow - their subtle glow off the garden path Peaceful gardens of tomorrow sown in seeds of yesterday Starched petunias, are you ready to spread your splendorous array ? ~*~ Sometimes the muses bring one to share that even I don't understand~ Must be a reason~ And then I went to look for a graphic ... and I found a fascinating story ... just meant to be, I reckon~ ~*~ Petunias -- That's for Remembrance http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=CanPetu.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=1&division=div1 Dorothy Canfield Illustrations - E.M. Ashe Scribner's Magazine New York April 1912 ENJOY ... and thank you for this memory stirrer~ ~*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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1slick_lady Member Ascendant
since 2000-12-22
Posts 6088standing on a shadow's lace |
ahhhhhhhhh this morning my eyes have kissed a southern childhood nice sooooo very nice |
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
I think even what we think is small and unimportant can turn into so much more if we look closely. Most things hold a message. and oh...the wash clothes! like greenie meanies on the skin...  "too bad ignorance isn't painful" |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
Oh, I read this last night and did not take the time. I went to it this morning and found I understood every bit of it. Even the "thin un yun". This sparks so much of your undeniable memory. How I wish I could recall it all. Love to ya, jo AKA latearrival |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
I forgot to thank you for time, Kalle. So thank you. I realize that some of my stuff is hard to understand--and I realize you probably aren't familiar with my work, but my amusement stemmed from the fact that this particular poem is probably one of my more "accessible" writes. But I appreciate your plodding through a "dire" read. (That amuses me too--since you have no idea how dire I can actually be--or do you?) Margherita, your unfailing kindness is always appreciated m'friend. (((((((great big hugs))))))) and it might amuse you a bit to know that the Aunt with the viscious course wash cloth was named Margherite--and she was my favorite aunt--except at bath time. But she must have sensed I needed some fierce cleaning up, eh? *wink* Margie, Margie, Margie--shaking my head here--that old synchronicity thing got us again! I think children do personification quite naturally anyhow, and petunias always did remind me of ladies in bonnets! So this is a little weird, but nicely weird. Thanks, love, for taking the time to "wow" me again with the "connections". Helen--I had no doubt that you would understand every bit of this--maybe it's the weather that made me feel nostalgic for my grandparent's yard. Or maybe it was watching that scene in the Godfather where Marlon Brando scared his grandson by mouthing a slice of orange peel in the tomato garden--that was something my Grandfather would have done. I hope this sparks some of your own heady recollections of Mississippi. I always did enjoy those from your pen. I love you bunches, lovely lady! *smoochies* Susan--that lot housed four families, a garden, chickens, and a sheet metal workshop! I was fascinated by the pulley system they'd worked out as they utilized every patch of sky to dry their laundry---and I loved wash days when they did the sheets--I thought I could hide in there, and was completely unaware that my shadow was telling on me! (My shadows still startles me at times. I really should get some sun, huh? *laughing*) *smoochies* MartyJo--you are just one of my very favorite people, and while all of you keep coming back to the blue page of Open, martyjo is special for me--she tells me great stories spawned from my own--so who could NOT love that? I think you can understand, marty, that I was sitting here, thinking, trying to remember better times, when I felt completely safe and secure. I gotta get me an Adirondack chair. But it was that safe and secure intent that made me start this one at the very beginning of the division and multiplication of the very cells of myself in my mother's womb. (I hope that cleared the first stanza up for you a bit.) Thanks, with love to all, for welcoming me back so warmly. I haven't been writing (or reading)as much poetry of late, so it is much appreciated that you are all so generous with me. I wish I had pictures to share, but until I can scan four (five?) generations of family photos, I guess I'll just have to write 'em. Speech over. Thanks all, with my love.  |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
Enjoyed the speech! And I am happy to learn that you loved Aunt Margherite, between one bath and the other  .Love and hugs. Margherita  |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Karen....you have transported me to a place of magic, in the garden of the child and the woman, mixed together with this special ingredient I think must be love.  |
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DennisTheMenace Member
since 2005-09-04
Posts 240 |
My first response is Huh??? Then after reading the response before me I have to change it to "whattheheck". But on rereading it I get the flow, which is beyond the poem, or something like that and then I say "wondeful job at what ever it is" |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Margherita...cute graphic! (I almost felt the burn, tho!) thank you again love. Mah Sweet Marite--let me hug you hard first--your name on my poem is a warm welcoming and I'm so happy you are here. I love you much. And Dennis? grin I get that response a LOT from guys. I'll bet that doesn't surprise you either! thanks again, all! Ya'll are the ones who keep the writing fun. |
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
Oh the color and sounds in this one, Ser! Took me there, yano. ....jo |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
My face suddenly felt raw with that scrubbing image. What a treat you are to read, sis. I thought of you this morning while reading an article about a Tarot card reader. But I ALWAYS have you in my heart when I sit beneath a tree and ponder the ways of the universe. Hugs to you, and a thank you, for sharing these healing moments of serenity. Wish I had an Adirondack chair too! |
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TinaTrivett Senior Member
since 2006-07-15
Posts 569 |
'Baby lizards in the hedge the difference of rock and egg and how we swept those lovingly with a gentle knowing palm bringing up a fingerburst of blessing to our innocent lips together saying "shhhhhhhhh" cover-them-protectively patting gentle warm from harm wishing once to watch 'em hatch.' ~This is so sweet. My children did the same. I love this write. |
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Paul Wilson
since 2002-07-07
Posts 4711United States |
Karen...Memories of a simple carefree life relived thru your words. I had an uncle that was chopping the head off a chicken once, the chicken moved and he cut off his thumb except for a small piece of skin, he finished cutting that small piece of skin and threw his thumb into the yard for the chickens to eat...Paul ~~To share my poems with you is to share my heart with you~~ |
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aziza Member Elite
since 2006-07-09
Posts 2995Lumpy Oatmeal makes me Crazy! |
I tucked this one away in my libraty. Karen (may I call you that? - it's hard not to after reading this poem), I read a lot of your poetry and find myself lost in the flow of how you use words. It's a good lost. I loved this poem for a variety of reasons. Mainly because if I just read and let the flow sweep me along, I was with you. I felt the sun and tasted the strawberries - and I wanted to SEE the giant fingers that held the fan. Thank you for a delightful story to start my day. Alison |
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