I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

16 April 2015

Visions

The Eye in the Well

















The deep eye in the well stares up without blinking even once.
Is it made of water? Like the water, it reflects the sky.
I believe it accuses me, but it may be indifferent.



The Sages Speak















We are mountains. You see us that way, for we are very still.
And we have wisdom, acquired and stored over many centuries.
This bustling angel, all light and movement, brings us a message.

You would see the angel as a cloud with stormy edges.
The whole world is alive in many ways you do not perceive.
The Angel comes from God. You too could hear if you stilled and listened.



Prompt 16 for 'Poems in April' at 'imaginary garden with real toads' is to be inspired by a piece of visionary art. I am a visionary artist — although only as a hobbyist, not of the calibre to be exhibited; and it's years since I did anything major in that line. I thought it would be fun to write to my own art works. I chose pieces I haven't looked at for a long time so that my response would be fresh. They are chalk pastels, done approx. 1989.

I had the notion that the Korean form, sijo, would work well for this prompt, so that is what I've used. The second poem is a double sijo.

23 comments:

  1. Oh those suspicious eyes! And sages as mountains. Everything being alive has its eerie sides as well as its magic!Together these two poems make that clear.Fun art too!

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  2. Bravo! I just love your artwork! The accusing eye and the sage mountains just explode with imagery! I will now go look up sijo, as I can't remember the form! Thanks for participating in the challenge with your own vision!

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    1. Oh, should have put a link to sijo; have now. Thanks for the enthusiasm! :).

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  3. Lovely imagery.....! :D
    You have done beautifully with this prompt..! Loved it :D
    Hope you have a wonderful week ahead :D
    xoxo

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  4. Wonderful, Rosemary. I love seeing your art and the poems inspired by them are wonderful. Intriguing form, the sijo. I love the poem of the sages best - sages as mountains and the appearance of angels as clouds with stormy edges. I especially resonate with "The whole world is alive in many ways you do not perceive." Music to my ears. I love this post!

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  5. Beautiful pictures and poetry.

    "I believe it accuses me, but it may be indifferent." - my favourite line. :)

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  6. Beautiful and imaginative work here. I love "You would see the angel as a cloud with stormy edges.
    The whole world is alive in many ways you do not perceive.
    The Angel comes from God. You too could hear if you stilled and listened."

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  7. your art and your poems both lovely, thanks for sharing

    much love...

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  8. Wow! Your visual and poetic art are beautiful!!

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  9. I like your reflection. Your eye might be indifferent. Ha

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  10. Water accusing...yes, possibly...I think it very well could be. Sigh. I like what you shared here...images and words.

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  11. I finally thought to put a note about the medium and approximate date of the drawings. I am so glad people like them. My teacher used to tell me I shouldn't be ashamed of my work, and I have finally got brave enough to share it more widely.

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  12. Oh I love that accusatory eye... and yes the sijo seems to me an excellent tool to do this...

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  13. Love your work much! Pondering too about no blinking eye and still mountains/sages...very wise and art - charming! thank you for sharing, Rosemary.x

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  14. The eye that reflects the sky, and the speaker's worry that the eye (or what it reflects) might be indifferent to his or her existence... quite intriguing.

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  15. Wonderful poems, and art work. I like your style and subjects.

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  16. Wonderful, Rosemary. I like the eye, it seems hard to figure. It looks like the look my dog, Adi, would have when she was being dreamy. Not asleep, her mind working hard digesting something of the day, and almost asleep.

    I also like the sijo and might try it sometime. The longer lines might be a challenge to not run on. I seem to migrate to seven, eight, or nine syllable lines. Seems to me the sijo is 15 syllables, it might be 15, 15, 16? I will look it up when it seems right to write one. Or a double or triple. I really got long winded today, I started last night and finished twenty minutes before midnight. Sorry to be so late here.
    ..

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  17. Rosemary, these are wonderful words and images. I frustrates me that you are so dismissive of your talents though.

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    1. Dear Mary, thank you for saying so. I'll bear it in mind! I recall that my art teacher would have taken me task for it too..

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  18. Visionary indeed--love the form, and the insights these drawings inspired.

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  19. a stillness to these, indeed. well penned ~

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