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Open Poetry #8
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

0 posted 2000-07-12 02:31 PM


The Pasture Pond

There is the 160, and to the
northwest corner in a sheltered area
lies a small
pond, primarily north and southern laid,
curving,
a drainage area succumbing at
the northern end from too much rain,
the furthermost corner of the
dammed area eroding away.

To reach the pond you must go over two
swells of elevated native country,
not hills, just swells,
enough to lift you high at the top to see
360 degrees,
and view the Smoky Hills.
Indian country. Virgin land.
Just you and me.
Once at the pond, we can slide rocks over the
frozen waters, and test the ice with our boots,
give it more weight,
hear a cracking and step back.
Not cold enough to slide across
fear holds us back, we’ve
never known how really deep the pond
and don’t want to find out now.

Wait a moment.

Spring’s rains dissolve the iciness of winter
and warmer weather starts the pond to
brewing scum
green, bubbling, warm sun growing
algae, with bobbing eyes of half-morphed
tadpoles blinking, sinking, popping up over
there,
see? Step into the worn ruts
left from last summer’s cow’s tracings
to the edge of the pond,
kick the sand a
bit with your booted toe, and watch the
red ants swarm. Cattails are beginning,
reeds only.

Wait a moment.

Summer erupts the pond into cattails brown tops
and frogs
and squirrels chittering along the bank,
and turtles
and bugs, water bugs dancing,
skimming the pond’s surface
and down the frog’s throat.
Now skim small rocks, flat rocks,
make them dance
and plop. Plop. Plop.
A bit of moss clings to the edge of the water
and you walk softly there, to not scare
....croack.... splash, splish, frogs
hear you anyway, and dive, dive safely.

The weeping willow lends a long trunk outward
over the pond, enough to sit on and gaze out
on the shimmering pond’s
surface, discerning
eyes of toads, frogs and perhaps a turtle
floating in the middle.
Wishing for a small boat.
Just for the heck of it. Heads disappear. Pop
back up. Croaking.
Chirping. Buzzing.
Look toward the pond’s south end,
a blue heron standing.
Still. Silent. Solitary.
Ducks overhead, waiting for us to
leave.

Wait a moment.

Rest begins. Water lower, scum gone,
cooler mornings, lazy afternoons of fall
begun.
Cattails effervesced into
fuzzy white puffs of seed
waiting for scattering winds.
Shining gold/yellow/red/orange
reflections on blue water
from the cottonwoods, elms,
birch, and hedgetrees. Quiet. A frog, huge now,
croaking deeper, lonely, only the one? No answer.
Splush.
Cows on the rise,
watching you, waiting for you to leave.

Come with me. You’ve seen the seasons of the pond.



© Copyright 2000 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved
Mark Bohannan
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269
In the winds of Cherokee song
1 posted 2000-07-12 02:44 PM


This was totally awesome.  Thanks for letting me visit your pond.  I hope the year I stayed didn't wear out my welcome.  Lovely piece and great imagery.
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
2 posted 2000-07-12 03:04 PM


Awesome works in my world.  Thank you, Mark!

Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium
3 posted 2000-07-12 03:19 PM


Karilea, My dear friend,

Where was I when the seasons bloomed thus?
Where was I when the pond lived a life such?

Such wonderful work... well from you it is expected, but I have to say this anyway, marvelously exceptional...

Many regards,
sudhir

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
4 posted 2000-07-12 03:27 PM


I can always expect you to give me a smile, Sudhir {~,^}  Thank you!

Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


BSC
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-02-04
Posts 2919
New York, USA
5 posted 2000-07-12 09:17 PM


Oh, just how beautiful is this Karilea!!!! A visit there, though lasting a year, went by far to quickly.  This is a simply amazing piece of work!  Bonnie
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA
6 posted 2000-07-12 10:06 PM


Sunshine, I must have missed this one because I would have remembered it. This is really an excellent, descriptive piece of writing. very enjoyable reading  
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
7 posted 2000-07-13 10:38 AM


Bonnie, our years go by far too fast...this is the only way I can capture them to treasure year around...well, this and photos!
Thank you!...

'Deer, I was going for descriptive! Hope you enjoyed the visit...

Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


LngJhnAg
Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508
Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion
8 posted 2000-07-13 10:47 AM


Karilea - this is wonderful!  Little by little I'm beginning to enjoy free verse, thanks in great part to poems such a yours.  See it?  I can FEEL it!
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
9 posted 2000-07-13 10:50 AM


LJA, that's TERRIFIC...now, my next task is to get you to HEAR it...I'll work on that!  Thanks!!!

Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


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