"...With fearful might the sea surged
Methinks our stems the clouds cut,-
Rán's road to the moon soared upward..."
~The Prose Edda
Rán's Road
Back home
from nowhere
on the sundown road again
out beyond the ending
after the wildest wave,
a light floods
sunfallen scarlet in seastream.
Feeling stops, mind in
memory’s mooring
no longer finds netted
maritime eyes of pearl
rippling sundrops
rippling sundrops
chained shells of silver
to barnacle the heart.
Still, far inland
a spring wells
dripping from the split rock
a dribble, compared to that
vast redstained road flowing
from white Rán's mouth, yet
quenching, sweet not salt;
time stops the oarsmen,
the twin bladed hands
are still in the dark.
Alone becomes
a mooncell, it’s centromere
suspended, each joining
separating identical
chromotids, a whole
separating identical
chromotids, a whole
from division’s drilled duality
a sensate totality
light made from shadow.
When
the soul returns
from her long journey
impossible not to know her
under the silver hair
the shabby close
the smile unchangedDecember 2011
Posted for OpenLinkNight at dVerse Poets Pub
"...The stormy breast rain-driven,
The wave with red stain running,
Out of white Rán's mouth..."
~Ibid.
Note: In Norse Mythology, Rán was a sea goddess.She was the wife of Ægir, a sea giant and god of the ocean, known also for hosting elaborate parties for the gods ~per wikipedia
Image: English Channel at Night by Aaron Phelps on flick'r
Image: English Channel at Night by Aaron Phelps on flick'r
The beauty, power and mystery of the sea is undeniable. No wonder man saw gods at work and play within the waves. Your words stir our deepest ancestral memories.
ReplyDeleteYes the sea stirs feelings as does your poem.
ReplyDeleteHigh tide is our 3 a.m., approached from opposite ends of night ... This elemental voyage through aether and memory by the soul from abyss to heaven is so regnant and complete, the life cycle of a myth and world and the heart finding pure water beyond the last shore. Magnificent writing, friend. 'Course, you had me at "wildest wave." -- Brendan
ReplyDeletevery nice hedge..particularly around the moon cell stanza and beyond..felt that...and cool to learn another myth...i was unfamiliar with this one...so a big party by the ocean eh? i am in...smiles.
ReplyDeleteGlorious poem, Hedge.
ReplyDeleteFeelings ceased, heart unbarnacled, time to be free, enjoy unsalted drink.
ReplyDeleteYOU sure write a zinger, Ma'am. Loved some of those words, heretofore unheard by me. Thank you Hedge...PEACE!
Awesome piece Hedge. I love Norse Myth and absolutely love this piece and how you used it for your inspiration and basis here. Wonderful job. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThis has the beautiful momentum of a legend. (The-cannot-be-stoppedness.) Not because it's rushed but because it feels right. I love the split rock dribble=-vast redstained rock--this part feels very familiar (and of course, the end feels familiar too, mainly because I'm finding myself one that holds the shabby close.) K.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, vivid poem. I also love the picture of your Grandfather.
ReplyDeleteFunny- mine today is also connected to a goddess..
ReplyDeleteLove the kinda Highlands atmosphore you create in this.
Great , intense so deep
Hugs and happy new year HW
:-)
Beautiful & mysterious poem...loved the last stanza in particular 'When the soul returns...' Great....Happy New Year HW :)
ReplyDeleteabsolutely gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Hedge
ReplyDeletei have just written something in a similar vein...pitting myself against the forces of the familiar sea/nightscape...its tough to pen originality into these themes but you have pulled it off here...
by infusing some awesome contrasts and clever turns and constructs...and that sense of magic or mystery...and the context too. excellent
Alone becomes
a mooncell, it’s centromere
suspended, each joining
separating identical
chromotid a whole;
from division’s drilled duality
a sensate totality
light made from shadow.
superb.
all the best Hedge to you and yours ;)
I don't think I grasp all of this, but what I do get, I love. "sunfallen scarlet in seastream"? That belongs in the alliteration hall of fame. It's not just alliterative, it's alive. I like the word "mooncell". Did you create it? And I like the oarsmen, stopped by time. But it is that last stanza that is the most exceptional. It's perfect.
ReplyDeleteback home from nowhere...and...
ReplyDeleteWhen
the soul returns
from her long journey
impossible not to know her... love that journey of the soul.. it can be a long and lonely one..and one of immense beauty...love it hedge
A beautiful combination of words with mental images. I Loved it.
ReplyDeleteI like "on the sundown road again." (You had me at "Back home.")
ReplyDeleteSeconding what Cait said! I love this poem.
ReplyDeleteAaron chose my fav lines...Like the journey close and myths behind your words.
ReplyDeleteWishing you cheers for the new year ~
Love this maritime romp. Stunning vibrancy in its imagery...and it looks like another history lesson for me! I always leave on a mission to know more of where you write from...I do not have enough hours in the day! Another fantastic pen! Hope you were able to catch a bit of the holiday buzz, and here's to a dVerse and Poetic 2012!
ReplyDeleteI am partial to the sea and this is absolutely amazing, Joy. I especially like the ending.
ReplyDeletetime stops the oarsmen,
ReplyDeletethe twin bladed hands
are still in the dark.
Love that image...
"the smile unchanged" -- truly resonates. The whole piece has a softness like the water itself.
ReplyDeleteParties like that have to have been legendary :)
'the smile unchanged..' I found the whole piece very moving, rich in sound and image..the sea surge driving throughout to a perfectly fitting conclusion... full to overflowing :) Fine writing hedge.
ReplyDeleteYou really immerse yourself in the mythic moment here. The link between the small fresh well and the sea path to the fallen sun...it's the best part of the poem to me...such a contrast, setting up the great transformation of the soul...Excellent piece. Happy New Year and see you in 2012
ReplyDeletefavorite line: "maritime eyes of pearl
ReplyDeleterippling sundrops", but there were so many... it reminded me of one of the Narnia scenes when the kids travel back to the beach
When
ReplyDeletethe soul returns
from her long journey
impossible not to know her
under the silver hair
the shabby close
the smile unchanged................
just gorgeous!!!!!!
oh i love the descriptions - a play on mythology, done so well here! loved - "no longer finds netted
ReplyDeletemaritime eyes of pearl
rippling sundrops
chained shells of silver
to barnacle the heart." and this was so clever "Alone becomes
a mooncell, it’s centromere
suspended, each joining
separating identical
chromotids," - bravo! I enjoyed lots!
I'm not familiar with the myth but I especially enjoyed the feel of this stanza - no longer finds netted
ReplyDeletemaritime eyes of pearl
rippling sundrops
chained shells of silver
to barnacle the heart.
very distinct imagery.
One detail I noticed that works so well in this is your subtle, effective use of alliteration.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this one... and the lines ...
ReplyDelete'When
the soul returns
from her long journey
impossible not to know her... unchanged smile..."
Thanks for sharing... Wish you a great year ahead...
Shashi
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/12/whisper-no-one-is-there-in-living-haiku.html
At Twitter @VerseEveryDay
I really like the second stanza and the ending of the smile unchanged gave me hope and made me smile.
ReplyDelete"chained shells of silver
ReplyDeleteto barnacle the heart."
That is exquisite.
Always drawn to myth. Well told.
ReplyDeleteI found great enjoyment in this piece, a particular favorite
ReplyDelete"Feeling stops, mind in
memory’s mooring
no longer finds netted
maritime eyes of pearl
rippling sundrops
chained shells of silver
to barnacle the heart."
I must of read that a hundred times this morning. Enjoy your greatly my friend, my best to you in this new year! ~ Rose