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Open Poetry #48
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OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2013-06-26 10:43 AM



SOLITUDE
1991

Can it be
that to revel in moods
of sun and wind and rain,
to caress the velvet warmth
of sunshine
on my horse’s winter coat,
to share opinions
with him
on matters
of workaday importance,
to walk in ecstasy
through leafy forests
bustling with little lives
and little sounds,
to wander through
poetry books
and piano music
in the bowels of the night,
I have to be alone?

It seems
I must choose
between solitude
and
polystyrene conversations
about false nails
and BMW’s,
while stringing my lips
into plastic smiles
that hurt my head.

Oh Solitude
cool, silent, soothing Solitude,
forgive me
for having doubted you so.

Owl

© Copyright 2013 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved
Elizabeth Santos
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269
Pennsylvania
1 posted 2013-06-26 08:39 PM


I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT YOUR POETRY. iT GIVES ME SUCH PLEASURE TO READ IT ALOUD AND THAT TO ME IS THE SURE TEST OF HOW WORDS AND PHRASES ARE WOVEN INTO SOMETHING MAGICAL.
YES, IT IS MAGICAL. I LOVE IT.
LIZ

Gale
Senior Member
since 2013-06-10
Posts 578
Russia
2 posted 2013-06-27 03:49 AM


"Oh Solitude
cool, silent, soothing Solitude,
forgive me
for having doubted you so"

Owl, was it his name?

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
3 posted 2013-06-27 05:05 AM


Thank you, Liz.  You have made my day!  I am truly honoured to have such an exquisite response from such a wonderful and sensitive poet who creates such magic herself in her own poetry.  I also read poetry aloud and I can see that you do too, from the beauty of your poetry which I absolutely love.  Smiles.

Thank you for your reply, Gale.  Do you mean what is the name of my horse? Or, perhaps, was my horse's name Solitude?  If that is the case, no, his name was/is Flicka.  There were 2 children's books about a horse called Flicka - the first one is "My Friend, Flicka" and the second one is "Flicka's Son".  In the books, the horse was a mare, but my baby was a gelding.  Flicka means "little girl" in Swedish, but my horse was more than masculine enough to carry the name.  He had the name before I became his mother and I just KNOW he was called that because he was the friendliest, most loving horse in all the world because the Flicka in the book was also friendly and loving.  I am not sure if I have told you already, but I was his mother for 20½ years and my son and daughter and I knew him for 2 years before that as well.  He was 37½ human years when he went to Heaven on 28 April 2002.  

In my poem I refer to choosing - there was never (and never would have been) a choice to make between my horse and anything else - my horse would have won hands down (or should that be hooves down, lol!) every time.  

Owl

Gale
Senior Member
since 2013-06-10
Posts 578
Russia
4 posted 2013-06-27 06:26 AM


Yes. And I've known his name from another your post )
He lived a long life.

My cat Cherie was 5 years old when she hit by a car. And I was 16.
I've been crying whole day and night through, although it was a month later when I was told what had happened (I was in another place passing my exams).
And I can't call her "it". She was my friend although she was a cat. Saying that cats don't make friends with people. She did.

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
5 posted 2013-06-27 06:48 AM


My heart goes out to you for losing Cherie.  Yes, I, too, hate it when people call animals "it".  Yes, I agree.  I have had a very close bond with all the cats in my life.  My cat, Cleo is usually at my elbow as I work at my desk, but now she is sitting on the back rest of a chair, but less than 2 metres away from me.  My dog is on one of his his day beddies and on his night blanket and in his polo fleece (Bengal tiger-patterned) jacket at my feet.  

Owl

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