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the curved left road
| Open Poetry #47 |
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the curved left road |
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Tomer Senior Member
since 2002-06-28
Posts 1168Michigan |
The road curved Far to the left Where she heard his eyes Coming from the woods The town was silent For a few acres of shells That lay around the ground Her long, raspy voice Hung in the back Of where the sage rested She watched his eyes Like they were hers For the night to watch Its life spread its wings Ahead of time She watched her neck Skim off the river As long as the mile Down the forests path Her scars ran up and down her legs Wounds of the free land Where she learned how to become a woman How to become what her mother had always said The spirit amongst the land Where she could finally see The road curve just left enough That she would never be alone, again |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
I love this very beautiful, very cryptic poem, whether I have understood any of it or not. There is a poetic beauty to it which always flows from your wordsmith pen. I would like to put forward my interpretation of it as far as I can try. I would love to hear how right or wrong I am, but I respect your wishes, Tomer, if you would rather leave it wrapped in the beauty of its mystery. It seems to me that it is set in Africa or the mid-east, somewhere where there are still dangerous live shells left from landmines, lying on the ground. The “he” in the poem appears to be the man – either with whom she is in love – or the man chosen for her by her parents to be her husband - or representing something else. I am not sure whether the road that curved far to the left was the one she was on, or an adjoining road. I suspect that it is the former. I am not sure of the significance of the curve or the fact that it is to the left, other than perhaps that the fact that she is travelling the road physically means that metaphorically she is going towards (and accepting) him. Perhaps the fact that you have specifically mentioned that it is curved to the left, could mean left politically, especially as you have referred to the shells and to “war wounds” which I think is not meant metaphorically. I think you said “hears” his eyes to emphasize how much she feels his eyes on her – or perhaps it is because he is singing or calling, which alerts her to the fact that he is watching her. The town could be in the distance or where she is, though bordering the woods. I suspect that it is the former. The reason you mention that the town could be to set the scene of the sadness, fear and possible desperation of the people who have suffered from war in the past – and in the present because of the (presumably live) shells still left there. I think you used “long” to emphasize the raspiness of her voice. I can’t work out how her voice “hung in the back” of where the sage rested. Perhaps it means that she is pondering what the sage thinks and/or represents. The fact that you call the “he” in the poem a sage, and that you use the word “rested” (no matter whether it is because he is old, or composed) suggests that he is much older than her, because wisdom (rightly or wrongly) implies age. This is supported by the fact that she is young enough to be listening to her mother, though the last line implies that she is not very young. I think the fourth stanza is a particularly beautiful way of saying that she understood the way he thought and perceived the intensity of the night. I think you meant the night literally, but probably it is also a metaphor for more. I am not sure of the meaning of watching her neck skimming off the river. The image that it conjures up for me is a bird skimming off the river. Perhaps her sight and mind skims off the long river and down the long forest path. I think the second last stanza is referring to her being raped during the war and all the wounds on her legs are either from being stabbed or from the schrapnel of landmines. I think the last stanza means that her mother was inspiring her to be positive – or perhaps to inspire others – or perhaps to immerse herself in her culture – and/or to accept the “he” you mentioned – though perhaps, as I mentioned above, the “he” is not a person. Perhaps “he” is a way of thinking - perhaps philosophical, or a political view, or a political party, or God. Again, I say, even if I am 100% off track, I still find it a beautiful, fascinating poem – an example of poetry at its very best. Owl |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Nice...James |
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Tomer Senior Member
since 2002-06-28
Posts 1168Michigan |
Owl, Firstly, thank you for the kind words. Always appreciated and grateful for the support. I actually set out to make the poem free of any social norm/ political/ what constitutes an everyday society. I wanted to bring the reader to a desolate world (a forest if you will), that had its own alien feel to it. The woman in the piece has scars (physically and metaphorically) that represent her past and present nature. They are not war related per say, but an individual war she endured in her past. You are spot on about the "he" in the piece. It is not an actual figure but something that is of wisdom and spiritual maturity. The mother was included in the last stanza as a foreshadowing, like a message in her dreams, as she goes to sleep. As you said, a way of inspiring not only herself, but those who she comes in contact with. The title is symbolic of a desolate area. A road that curves so far to the left, only a special being could be living in its surrounding. Enjoyed the interpretation. Thanks, again Cheers |
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Tomer Senior Member
since 2002-06-28
Posts 1168Michigan |
Thanks, James. Hope all is well Cheers |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you, Tomer. I really appreciate your responding so fully to my request, and am delighted to see what parts I was right about what I was not. What a wonderful poem it is, to delve into! Owl |
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Spiros Zafiris Senior Member
since 2002-10-20
Posts 982Canada |
..hello..>>i much enjoyed your poem; it has a lyrical completeness to make one's heart smile..>>spiros |
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Tomer Senior Member
since 2002-06-28
Posts 1168Michigan |
Spiros, happy you enjoyed the poem and that it made you smile. Take care Cheers |
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