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Open Poetry #34
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Goldweight
| Open Poetry #34 |
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Goldweight |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738
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The Akan often elaborate their spoken words with both visual and poetic dimensions by using context-related proverbs or clever metaphors to ennoble their messages. This practice not only demonstrates a speaker's wisdom, cultivation, and eloquence in the use of his language, but also reveals his understanding of human nature and his ability to assess the underlying subtleties of specific situations.* ~ * ~ * ~ "Goldweight" I have tales of Africa ~scrolled~ a skin-bang song I sing I beat the dung musk totem bleeds sweat to quench the thirst of flies. Skies of eyes that never weep sun - clock - tick - tock lunacy madman shaman's laughter mapped within the lines of leaf I see proof that I am -- not - I sing staring down the demon's smile: "ANOMAA NOTEFOO" a serpent is beguiled. ~ * ~ * ~ ANOMAA NITEFOO - THE CLEVER BIRD Symbol of BEING OUTWITTED, OUTFOXED, BEING OUTSMARTED From the proverb: Anomaa nitefoo, afidie yi no a, eyi no ntentennoa. Literal translation: The clever bird is easily trapped in the leaves at the edges. The one who claims to be smart is easily outsmarted by a simple trap. ---------------------------------------- source: http://www.marshall.edu/akanart/abrammoo_abramobe.html |
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| © Copyright 2004 serenity blaze - All Rights Reserved | |||
Magnus
since 2001-10-10
Posts 14135South Carolina, USA |
Ser, thanx for the lesson in culture, as well as a "goldweighted" poem!! |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
You, truly are incredible m'lady gorgeousness.  Mxx and I am haunted |
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ThisDiamond Member Rara Avis
since 2002-02-22
Posts 9353Michigan, USA |
Liked this approach and the style of the offering. Karen, you open us to such unique thoughts and grace. TD |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
serenity, Like your new picture and I been looking for that bird for a long time. |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
You are worth your weight in gold (now tell me you didn't know that was coming?), and I will trade you one ladder for a pair of sandals? Interesting write my scholarly friend. |
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littlewing Member Rara Avis
since 2003-03-02
Posts 9655New York |
K: first of all, I adored these lines: totem bleeds sweat to quench the thirst of flies. you already set the tone quite well and immediately I got the image of Hemingway in the Serengeti, writing at the dusk of some fantastic day . . . seems as if you have been there too . . . |
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brian sites Senior Member
since 2002-06-25
Posts 1475usa |
you know... that this is right up my brain I love this and you |
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pandonov Member
since 2003-10-03
Posts 478b/w conscience and insolence |
absolutely incredible |
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Honeybunch Member Rara Avis
since 2001-12-29
Posts 7115South Africa |
Thanks - interesting information and wonderful poem! |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
a skin-bang song I sing ~*~ I heard this, and I do so enjoy the lessons I receive... |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
click click...into my library I always wanted a precious goldweight poem in my collection.  loved that skin-bang |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Thanks for reading. I hope this didn't come off all pretentious and lectured-sounding. I had hoped to share some the inspirational thoughts I had gathered after reading a novel "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. (It's a tale of a missionary family plummeted deep into African culture.) At the risk of boring you further, I'll explain: "I have tales of Africa ~scrolled~ a skin-bang song I sing" I wanted to introduce the idea of cellular memory, and to direct attention inward. "I beat the dung musk totem bleeds" My acknowledgement that I didn't know as much as I thought I knew-- "sweat" um, I started investigating more "to quench the thirst of flies." That's just an analogy, flies are simply my own pestering questions. "Skies of eyes that never weep" a reference to night, the eyes are stars. "sun - clock - tick - tock" a reference of course, to day "lunacy" how months are measured, by phases of luna, or the moon "madman shaman's laughter" self mockery here, of my quest to find an answer to the all "mapped within the lines of leaf" attempting to find that answer by studying the microcosm (as well as a reference to The clever bird is easily trapped in the leaves at the edges. "I see" the meditation "proof" the moment of awareness that occurs sometimes during meditation "that I am -- not - I sing" existance "I am -- not" a favored theme of mine acknowledging both heart beat, the aleph-bayt of the Hebrew alphabet, and the very duality of here and gone "staring down the demon's smile" facing my fears "ANOMAA NOTEFOO" the clever bird is ME, attempting to outsmart myself "the serpent is beguiled" reference to the biblical book of Genesis, and my attempt to reverse the fall, i.e., acheive enlightment. "the simple trap" is simply the acknowledgment that although we may be momentarily gifted with brief glimpses of understanding, the moment we try to communicate that as "wisdom" we lose it, as that communication relies on language, symbols, which are adulterated by the experiences of every individual. So I hope I didn't bore you all too badly. I don't normally explain things this detailed, but it occurred to me that this might be construed as me mocking someone else. Nope. Just me laughing at myself again.  Thanks again for reading. (and bri? sneak attack ) |
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