In posting the prompt last Sunday, never did we think it would take on a different significance before these selections would be posted. True Silence came to fruition with the news of our loss of Dyson McIllwain (http://poeticbloomings.com/2013/03/06/in-memory-of-dyson-douglas-mcillwain/.) Where we looked for this “true silence” to offer us peace, Mr. McIllwain found silence because of his peace. Where does your peace lie? We’ve explored that topic and celebrate the many fine works provided. These are the BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS:
MARIE ELENA’S CHOICE:
Poetic responses to this prompt have been a joy and comfort to read – each and every poet entering with his or her own serenity-inducing offerings. Walt posed the thought, “Take us to your happy place, and let’s see if it works for us.” I must say that the very reading of your poems took me to a “happy place,” and I thank you all. I had four poems that I thought particularly thoughtful and well expressed. Taking it down to one was no easy task, but I finally chose one of the four: David De Jong’s “Rows of Comfort.” This is a poem to be read slowly and contemplatively. David brings life to being on one’s knees, tilling the soil, “softly tending nature’s yield, earnestly praying in the field.” My heart and spirit relate, finding the most peace and contentment in my Creator, His creation, and the humbling realization that “my Savior weeds my past.” David, your fitting correlation of being on one’s knees caring for the land, and kneeling in humble prayer is simply-yet-exquisitely expressed. It gives me great pleasure to offer you my Bloom.
Rows of Comfort by David De Jong
What comforts what consoles?What brings calm to grievous souls? To find relief from mental toil
Kneel between the rows, till the soil
Shuffling knees, the smell of dirt
Worry soaking through my shirt
Softly tending nature’s yield
Earnestly praying in the field Ah for a man to be on his knees
Interpreting summer evening breeze
Harkened whispers of soft spoken leaves
Scents of freedom the clouds over-sees Watching eagles grace the crest of trees
Who am I, surely the least of these?
Given purpose, our Creator’s ease
His glory abounds upon our knees Each row done a prayer complete
Slow to stand on trembled feet
Worries removed and cast aside
Weeds of Eve’s tempter’s pride
Each row stand clean, strong and fast
Just as my Savior weeds my past
WALT’S SELECTION:
All kinds of things can bring questions of mind and anguish of heart. And in times like this our solace can be found in the simplest of circumstances. In the gentle sway of a rocking chair we can be given the sanctuary to ease our souls. Barbara Young expresses this well in a poem whose title is as quirky as it is artful. For this great combination, I present Barbara with my BLOOM.
She Is Not a Dog Barking in the Night, or a Star by Barbara Yates Young
Wars, greed, starvation. Pendulum
depression, joint pain: she can’t sleep.
Lies stiff and close eyed. Dark trains arch
far river bridges, east then south,
their horns like hounds she remembers
hearing from a winter bedroom
bell the cold hills, ice dog stars
barking as if with joy. She wraps
more warmth around aching shoulders
and imagines hickory fire
and a room nodding with a rocking chair.
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Congratualtions David and Barbara for your BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS.
March 9th, 2013 at 9:27 AM
Congratulations to Barbara and David. Excellent poems!!
March 9th, 2013 at 9:53 AM
What beautiful choices, each perfect in their different way. I ached with the farmer planting, and I ached with Barbara in her aching lack of sleep.
March 9th, 2013 at 10:59 AM
Well done to you both, and Barbara, yours is seriously good. Really hit home with me.
March 9th, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Beautiful, indeed. I’m particularly drawn to Barbara’s, but that’s nothing new. Her voice rocks my world, often.
March 11th, 2013 at 12:48 PM
Agreed!!
March 9th, 2013 at 11:45 AM
David, I identify so much with this gorgeous line:
“Slow to stand on trembled feet”
Your poem is beautiful.
March 9th, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Wonderful choices! Congrats to Barbara and to David this week.
March 9th, 2013 at 1:03 PM
Thanks, guys. Much kindness from the lakes.
And now we’ve almost got winter in our rear view mirror.
Won’t be that many days before the fire is the last thing you can think of to be comfortable with. Rocking chair, ah, now that works summer, winter, anywhere.
March 9th, 2013 at 2:13 PM
Both poems are well done. David, I love the combination of kneeling to work and kneeling to pray. I have thought of the last line before, too. I love those last two lines:”Each row stand clean, strong and fast
Just as my Savior weeds my past”
March 9th, 2013 at 2:24 PM
Beautiful choices, congratulations, David and Barbara!!
March 9th, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Had to work today and just found this in my Inbox
Wow – Thank You!
I’m speechless and so honored.
March 9th, 2013 at 7:54 PM
Excellent choices and in a week when I think it must have been particularly hard to choose (just my take after reading a re-reading) – these are two that made my personal short-list so I’m especially tickled. I rarely do that – try to guess who you’ll choose, or more accurately, who I’d choose, but for some reason, this week I did find myself sorta leaning towards these two and thinking – yes, I really love this, with both David’s and Barbara’s poems. Congrats to both poets and gardeners!
March 9th, 2013 at 10:07 PM
Bravo and brava, David and Barbara! Well deserved honors for exquisite poems. And well done in your choices, Walt and Marie. Congratulations to our Blooms of the Week.
March 11th, 2013 at 8:55 AM
Excellent poems both! I’m at peace kneeling in the soil too, and Barbara that title was inspired as was the poem. Congratulations!!
March 11th, 2013 at 12:49 PM
Congratulations, David and Barbara!! Excellent poems, both!