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photo by Andy Ilachinski |
What We Bring
The human
bit by the seawind, bleeding warmth
stands on the bleach-grey beach,
walks the line of detritus and empty shells
discarded by the tide
sees the void in her heart magnified
in drops of salt coating the kelp strands
across acres of bleak and endless grey
nothing
and wonders
how the planet’s birthing table
can be so cold
and empty.
The oysters, the clams, the fishes and mussels
the gulls, the algae and plankton by gallons
meanwhile
eat and mate and die and are born,
borne on the same rocking table
living as easy in the shine and the silver,
the liquid cold and wrapping black
as in tomorrow’s
hot red sun.
November 2010
Written for One Shoot Sunday Picture Prompt at One Stop Poetry, 11/7/10
some beautiful imagery in there...i love the planet’s birthing table..and the ..liquid cold and wrapping black..beautiful!
ReplyDelete"Sees the void in her heart magnified"... as empty as the ocean is deep, waiting for the warmth of the sun to fill her up. Your words capture the lonely need of the photo. And the hope... Blessings.
ReplyDeletei would say a beautiful sadness...the table seeming barren...the state of our heart colors what our eyes see...so i feel for that human...
ReplyDeleteVery vivid and I see that you've drawn from nature and the imagery of the photograph. Quite touching and beautiful.
ReplyDelete'sees the void in her heart magnified' she is very alone and missing someone special.
ReplyDeletesome breathtaking imagery in your words...very well written...cheers pete
ReplyDeleteA beautiful desolation in your lines. "Discarded by the tide / Sees the void in her heart magnified" The moments of recognition do seem that way. Fine poem. TY
ReplyDeleteBeautiful imagery in your words, in the sadness of it all.
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ReplyDeleteYes, but the oysters are happy anyway.That has to count for something.
ReplyDeleteThanks all for the kind words.
Yes, the imagery in this poem is breathtaking. Very beautiful and provocative.
ReplyDeletesome fabulous imagery here within these lines ~ desolation is felt and sadness captured and held by that very place ~ great take
ReplyDeleteyes so true!! and the fishes, mussels plankton and algae are all unperturbed :) despite ~ xx lib
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for stopping by, and for your thoughtful comments. I appreciate them all.
ReplyDeleteThought the piece captured perfectly the photo as if we as readers were transported there looking exactly as we see it. Your words moved in the whirling reeling sense one has by water haunted by cries of seabirds. Excellent. Gay
ReplyDelete@beachanny: high praise from someone who lives by the sea. Thanks for coming by, and for your words.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of great images here.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the "bleach-grey beach" and "the planet’s birthing table."
thankyou for stopping by dear friend ~ not one I use but an interesting technique with the dice box ~ have you ever listened to Brian Eno's 'taking tiger mountain by strategy' ~ could be interesting to try ~ once again thankyou for your visit and also for your great write ~ I enjoyed my read xx
ReplyDelete@lib: checked that out on you tube.Very peaceful. Thanks for turning me on to it.
ReplyDeleteI like "bleeding warmth" and "the planet's birthing table". Also the contrast of all that gray and silver with the final line's hot red sun.
ReplyDelete@FB Thanks--I don't think I developed the contrast enough as it wasn't meant over all to be a sad poem, just a study in how it is what it is depending on who *you* iz...glad you could stop by.
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