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Open Poetry #10
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California

0 posted 2000-10-04 08:12 PM



Past Yourself with no Moon

I looked with jaded eyes
at the trail where I walked,
I even sat down and contemplated
where I was going

Picture a rock in the middle
of a dirt road in the dark.

For the moon
hid its slide from me
behind my clouded need
even though I longed for it
to touch my face
and run its pearl rays
across my hair,
the moon is not beguiled
by the want in me.

And I know the moon has no fragrance
but when it’s hidden,
the nectar of the night,
from trellises of jasmine
and the breeze that slides down
the mountain off the sage,
even the scented geranium stills
its weave across the open yard.

So not only was I on a rock
in the middle of a dirt road
but there was no night fragrance stirring.
no lace winged song of nightingale.

The sky closed me in
the breath of familiarity
and the stagnate pool of lethargy
and the rocky here I sat on
softened and sagged with me into the dirt
of some truth that had eluded me.

Instead of jumping into stars gleaming
with love dance song song tune you see
I was laying in my own melancholy,
until I felt a touch on my cheek
soft like the underbelly of a newborn kitten

and I opened my eyes to the long purple fingers
of a flowering Mexican sage
and its bloom taught me
that if you look just a little past yourself
you might be able to see
even with no moon.


In the dew of little things,
the heart finds its morning
and is refreshed.
(ee cummings)

© Copyright 2000 Martie Odell Ingebretsen - All Rights Reserved
Mark Bohannan
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269
In the winds of Cherokee song
1 posted 2000-10-04 08:14 PM


Hey you....I am saving this one for my midnight snack but I NEED some rosepetals and orange blossoms.LOL   HELLO friend....tune in later for my thoughts on your poem.  LOL  And BTW....YOUR "FIELD" ........????????  Whoaaaaaaaa babyyyyyyy  
Rosemary J. Gwaltney
Senior Member
since 1999-08-26
Posts 997
northern mountains, Idaho
2 posted 2000-10-04 09:10 PM


Martie - I enjoyed this poem very much.  I love the lovely lines "there was no night fragrance stirring. no lace winged song of nightingale", and a song of lethargy is one I can really relate to at times!!!


lucky
Senior Member
since 2000-01-17
Posts 1601
Idaho
3 posted 2000-10-04 09:28 PM


Hi Martie,

If you would have looked at the Farmers Almanac you would have known this was only an eclipse, of course that's probably why you didn't have time to write another like it, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. I think you must have these wild weird dreams like RJ's. Did that say nice work..?

Sheech, I'd bedder shud-dup

Love ya Sis


Dark Angel
Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095

4 posted 2000-10-04 09:28 PM


The sky closed me in
the breath of familiarity
and the stagnate pool of lethargy
and the rocky here I sat on
softened and sagged with me into the dirt
of some truth that had eluded me.

sigh Martie, love reading you  


Wilfred Yeats
Member Elite
since 2000-08-04
Posts 2704
Wilmington, Delaware
5 posted 2000-10-04 09:40 PM


What line to quote - what whole verse - I should transpose the totality of your poem to this response - to say "these were the words I especially liked..." (could you accept that? ~G~ )
You write so very well - I am in awe

Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
6 posted 2000-10-04 10:45 PM


Mark--I'll be looking for you later.

Rosemary--thanks for telling me your favorite lines...I'm sure alot can relate to lethergy.

Lucky-- you're too much!

Maree--I'm always glad when you do read me.

Bill--Your compliments always make me feel special..thank you!

Mark Bohannan
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269
In the winds of Cherokee song
7 posted 2000-10-05 01:18 AM


So not only was I on a rock
in the middle of a dirt road
but there was no night fragrance stirring.
no lace winged song of nightingale.

The sky closed me in
the breath of familiarity
and the stagnate pool of lethargy
and the rocky here I sat on
softened and sagged with me into the dirt
of some truth that had eluded me.

Instead of jumping into stars gleaming
with love dance song song tune you see
I was laying in my own melancholy,
until I felt a touch on my cheek
soft like the underbelly of a newborn kitten

and I opened my eyes to the long purple fingers
of a flowering Mexican sage
and its bloom taught me
that if you look just a little past yourself
you might be able to see
even with no moon.


Wow.....Martie...this is one sweet reminder that even in the simplest things we can find our peace.  Your imagery is so amazing as usual and of course you teach us a lesson in optimism and self assurance by simply taking a quiet moment to reflect.  

Poertree
Senior Member
since 1999-11-05
Posts 1359
UK
8 posted 2000-10-05 06:57 AM


ok martie..... i was seduced into venturing into Open and now i find this! you won't know this, but i rarely leave the cozy confines of CA which is a pity really coz i've probably missed a lot of nice stuff.

anyway what i was going to say was that i never thought i would read a contemporary poem with all of the words:

moon
pearl
nightingale
stars

in it and not think "cliche"!! .... BUT... somehow this poem (and your others btw) seems to be original and "old" at the same time, as well as being IMHO very beautiful lyrically ....

i better shut up now ....lol

(i don't suppose you'd consider a little excursion into CA?!)

great poem martie

philip

[This message has been edited by Poertree (edited 10-05-2000).]

Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada
9 posted 2000-10-05 07:07 AM


"the moon is not beguiled
by the want in me."

"The sky closed me in
the breath of familiarity
and the stagnate pool of lethargy
and the rocky here I sat on
softened and sagged with me into the dirt
of some truth that had eluded me."

"I was laying in my own melancholy,
until I felt a touch on my cheek
soft like the underbelly of a newborn kitten"

Sigh ... I could have copied the whole poem Martie, but these were the lines that especially captured me ... beautiful writing and incredible imagery, just lovely!  

Best wishes,
/Kit

Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
10 posted 2000-10-05 10:04 AM


Mark--I was feeling so blue for some reason and that flower touched me...thank you for seeing the message.

Philip--hey, I'm so glad you came by...I have been in CA...a while ago...maybe my feelings were to fragile then...and didn't get many responses...I will go back to read your poetry...thanks for reading mine.

Kit--thanks so much for letting me know your favs and for such a sweet reply.

Janet Marie
Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554

11 posted 2000-10-05 10:46 AM


For the moon
hid its slide from me
behind my clouded need
even though I longed for it
to touch my face
and run its pearl rays
across my hair,
the moon is not beguiled
by the want in me.

And I know the moon has no fragrance
but when it’s hidden,
the nectar of the night,
from trellises of jasmine
and the breeze that slides down
the mountain off the sage,
even the scented geranium stills
its weave across the open yard.

So not only was I on a rock
in the middle of a dirt road
but there was no night fragrance stirring.
no lace winged song of nightingale.

The sky closed me in
the breath of familiarity
and the stagnate pool of lethargy
and the rocky here I sat on
softened and sagged with me into the dirt
of some truth that had eluded me.
============================
that if you look just a little past yourself
you might be able to see
even with no moon.
===========================
I dont know what Im more taken with in this
amazing body of work ....
I am just so impressed and taken in by the
imagery in this one...the DEPTH and DETAIL
of it ..but also the uniqueness of it ...
that 4th verse takes my words
then there is the depth of expression of the emotions ....
but more impressive is the way you are so in tune with nature and its many gifts....
how you feed of off it,
find your self in its vastness ..
this is yet another of a line of deep
soul searching reflections that you have composed of late ...
your ponderings are poetically profound ...
I hope you find the answers that you are seeking ...
I see more of you with each new poem ...
and its a beautiful sight to behold.
keep them coming gentle poet...
we all grow in your discoveries
love ya
me


Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
12 posted 2000-10-05 08:48 PM


Janet--You touch me with your reply...thank you for being like you are!!
Marge Tindal
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores
13 posted 2000-10-06 05:35 AM


Martie~
My friend - my friend ....

'The sky closed me in
the breath of familiarity'


How touching this is.
~*Marge*~



~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com



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