‘And what if light surrounds us like a song –
or what if we are made of singing light?
You cannot prove these propositions wrong,
no more than I can prove that they are right.
Yet what if we had known it all along –
that light and music meld beyond sound/sight?
What difference might it make to you and I?
Perhaps we’d live more lightly, perhaps fly.’
He whispered these reflections to the air,
sending them out upon a rising breath –
then bent again to tend the garden, where
beneath the plaques folk rested in their death.
A woman came towards him, crying, ‘There
is where I want my dears, in solid earth
where I can come and talk to them and pray.’
Her tread was heavy as she moved away.
Around the grave-beds, grasses, flowers and trees
firm-anchored in the soil, while stretching high
into the air, moved slightly in a breeze
as if they danced – as if they’d almost fly.
Wind in the leaves made soft noise; humming bees
thronged the flowers. The sun rose in the sky.
The insects and the birds moved through the day,
uncaring of what he and she might say.
Another ottava rima for the Poetic Asides form challenge.
Also shared at the latest Tuesday Platform, for 'imaginary garden with real toads'.
Also shared at the latest Tuesday Platform, for 'imaginary garden with real toads'.
Lovely speculations.
ReplyDeleteI am in admiration at how beautiful this is....form, metre, rhythm, flow and message. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at the opening lines!❤️ Such an incredibly poignant poem, Rosemary!❤️
ReplyDeleteI love that after the end of what we know comes, it seems that we can do anything... "perhaps, fly".
ReplyDeleteI really love how you used the form to give us all that music... I think that light is one kind of music actually
ReplyDeletePerhaps we’d live more lightly, perhaps fly.’.. just beautiful Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteI feel like I just visited Eden.
ReplyDeleteI love the thoughts of light and music being the same!
ReplyDeleteLight and music just have to be connected, Rosemary - 'You cannot prove these propositions wrong'!
ReplyDeleteI love this poem Rosemary and keep returning to it ... thank you :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a gem, Rosemary, entering precisely on the sentiment and then flowing out from there. Last line didn't quite wrap it up for me but still a joy to read.
ReplyDeleteChanged it a bit.
DeleteThe insects and the birds moved through the day,
ReplyDeleteoblivious what he and she might say.
There'll be frustrations and irritations voiced out by those unfortunates and the unwilling but they have to stomach it. Life must go on regardless. Very true Rosemary!
Hank
On reading this poem a third (or perhaps fourth) time, I find I am delighted by it more and more. The poetic form, the metre and your crafty versification give a wonderful light and musical touch to a most serious subject. Thank you again :)
ReplyDeleteAwww! Thank you so much!
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