navwin » Archives » Open Poetry #47 » Bushveld Campfire
Open Poetry #47
Post A Reply Post New Topic Bushveld Campfire Go to Previous / Newer Topic Back to Topic List Go to Next / Older Topic
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2011-06-17 02:01 PM


BUSHVELD CAMPFIRE
17 June 2011

As she gazed,
pensively,
into the storybook
of the leaping flames,
she was oblivious
to the hum of conversation
around her,
her hands clasped lightly around her knees,
where, in her element,
she sat on the dew-damp grass,
and,
like the warmth
that was pervading her bones,
as homemade soup
on a cold, cold night,

though nobody noticed,
an enigmatic smile,
slowly, oh so slowly,
crept over her face,
and the firelight
flickered more brightly
in her eyes,
and,
she nodded serenely -
satisfied that
her question
had been answered
favourably and truthfully
and yes,
she would
keep her promise
until the stars fell as rain
and the sun and the moon
changed places.

Owl

[This message has been edited by OwlSA (06-18-2011 02:09 PM).]

© Copyright 2011 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved
latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
1 posted 2011-06-17 02:23 PM


The photo of you beside this particular poem is so appropiate.A beautiful poem with a beautiful photo of a beautiful

poet.sincerely,jo

latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
2 posted 2011-06-17 09:04 PM


popped in to save this
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
3 posted 2011-06-18 12:41 PM


Thank you, Jo.  I am smiling at your very kind words and the fun in them.  

I passionately hate being photographed - I never know what to do with my toes, elbows, knees, face, liver, kidneys, bone marrow, etc!  However, this one was taken without my knowledge - in about 2008 I think - as part of a group at a braai (barbecue) in a nature reserve, with me isolated afterwards (hence the hazed outline) - and it is probably the only natural-looking photo of me ever (OK, so the tan is a photographic error - but I like that mistake - I used to have more of a tan than I do now, but don't get to relax in the sun too much nowadays!).  The photo really does epitomise who I am.  Thank you for liking it too.  I feel quite embarrassed to say that I like a photo of me, but I do like this one (blush).

Owl

latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
4 posted 2011-06-18 02:05 AM


I have always like this one of you. But the poem  told me to tell you. The fit is perfect. It speaks your name softly.
jo

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
5 posted 2011-06-18 02:34 AM


Smiling happily, and your warm, poetic and clever response "speaks your name softly" too, Jo.  Thank you.

Owl

katahdin
Senior Member
since 2010-07-01
Posts 1196
ME. In the Shadow of the Mt.
6 posted 2011-06-18 04:43 AM


I agree with Latearrival. Lovely poem and lovely picture of you. Enjoyed!
Kat >^..^<

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
7 posted 2011-06-18 05:46 AM


Thank you, Kat - and I so love the kitty face after your name!

Owl

Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
8 posted 2011-06-18 02:30 PM


Diana...I would love to have been sitting next to you at that campfire enjoying the magic you felt, and friendship.  
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
9 posted 2011-06-18 03:48 PM


Martie, what a lovely Martie-thing to say!  I would love to have had you there too, though the bushveld campfire part was in my imagination.  It would have been such a natural place for both of us to have been!  

Smiles and hugs
Owl

Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
10 posted 2011-06-18 07:23 PM


quote:
and yes,
she would
keep her promise
until the stars fell as rain
and the sun and the moon
changed places.



That will take quite some time I guess, dear Owl. Wonderful extension of a promise.

Very nice work.

With your hate for being photographed you reminded me (thank you ) of my first love, who had this peculiar phobia too... my next love was a photographer I would love to take pictures of you and capture your spirit ... maybe a hundred of them for one master shot! I do love your profile picture too.

Love,
Margherita

secondhanddreampoet
Member Ascendant
since 2006-11-07
Posts 6394
a 'Universalist' !
11 posted 2011-06-18 08:50 PM


as always ... v. FINE writing !!
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
12 posted 2011-06-19 03:06 AM


Giggles, Margherita, yes it would take some time!  Smiles.

I am glad that I evoked the memory of your first love (albeit in a funny way! Lol).  How amusing that your next love was a photographer!  Perhaps that is when you became one too, if you weren't already one.  

I think it would take far more than a hundred shots of me to get a master one!  However, I wouldn’t mind you taking them  as long as you caught me unawares with every shot, even if I knew why you were armed with the camera-weapon!  Smiles.

Owl

Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
13 posted 2011-06-19 05:04 AM


I am just an amateur, dear Owl, but a passionate one at that! I already was when I met my second love, who artfully used and worshipped his Leica camera. I owe this passion to my father and I am so deeply grateful that he left so many pictures also of him, as they were the only way to actually know him. See, how important and significant it can be that those who love us have the possibility to remember us or as in my case with my father "discover" us? I love to put a face next to a name. That is the only possibility to have a "soul-touch", even at distance.

... and ... it happens very rarely that I am totally satisfied with my shots, but now the digital cameras give us the opportunity to repeat the attempt and to cancel immediately results that do not fit our vision.

Have a wonderful Sunday.
Love,
Margherita

Alison
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318
Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy!
14 posted 2011-06-19 04:09 PM


I love this specal part of you, your imagination.  Perhaps you should write children's books, but perhaps not.  Perhaps you should continue doing what you do so beautifully - sharing your stroies and pictures from your mind and heart by placing them in poetry.  I cannot express how much I enjoy you and the words/visions/imaginings/mind paintings and stories that you share with us.  My world is more beautiful looking at it through your eyes, Diana.  I'll take my place on the other side of you and share friendship, imagination and words with you and Martie.

Love,
Alison

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
15 posted 2011-06-19 06:37 PM


Well, Margherita, in my eyes, and I am sure in everyone else’s, you are a photographer par excellence!  You have both the passion and the expertise – and wow, what results that combination brings!  

I see what you mean about the photographs, but there isn’t really anyone to look at photos of me (if there were any photos of me – there were lots of me as a child but hardly any as an adult) when I am dead – perhaps my son, but I can’t really imagine him browsing through a photograph album.  I would imagine that he would say that he saw me often enough to remember exactly what I look like.  My daughter doesn’t talk to me and she would rather die than look at a photo of me.

Thank you for your kindness and consideration, Alison.  I actually did write 2 very short books for small children about the wonders of nature, but the publishing house I sent them to, wanted me to take out the bit about snakes (which I most certainly wasn't going to do), and I didn’t have an illustrator, so neither ever got published.  I realised, when I read your reply, that I don’t know where they are.  I wrote them long before computers were around, so they were never saved on a computer.  I also started a children’s novel, but didn’t get further than about the first page mainly I think, because of time, lack of commitment, other commitments, etc.  I have written numerous children’s poems, all for my children and grandchildren as they were growing up.

I am very honoured that your world is more beautiful looking at it through my eyes – I could and do say the same about you!  Yes, you and Martie and I around a bushveld campfire would be an absolute treat!  I remember a poem you wrote quite a long time ago about camping that made me wish I could share it with you – and there was somebody else who also wanted to – I can’t quite remember who, but I know it was somebody very nice – it may well have been Martie.  I know we spoke in the comments about the 3 of us together enjoying the experience.  I would love to take you and Martie and anyone else who was interested through our nature reserves and share my passion and the bit I know about the habitats, animal life, trees, flowers and grasses with you.  Thank you, excellent poet, for your mind-boggling comments on my poetry and its effect on you.

Love
Owl

Post A Reply Post New Topic ⇧ top of page ⇧ Go to Previous / Newer Topic Back to Topic List Go to Next / Older Topic
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.
navwin » Archives » Open Poetry #47 » Bushveld Campfire

Passions in Poetry | pipTalk Home Page | Main Poetry Forums | 100 Best Poems

How to Join | Member's Area / Help | Private Library | Search | Contact Us | Login
Discussion | Tech Talk | Archives | Sanctuary