Our search is over, and we have found that there were no words lost in the expression of such things for the Week 14 prompt. We have come to expect excellence here, and we are harvesting that by the bushel. We found these poems to stand a wee bit taller. The Beautiful Blooms are:
Marie Elena’s selection:
Amy Barlow Liberatore’s “ Lost in the Weeds” garnered my vote for this week. Amy combined our seed prompt with a dozen words selected from the Sunday Whirl Wordle (http://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com/). Amy’s non-preachy message and use of allegory appeal to me in this lovely piece. I am particularly drawn to her final statement, “She shakes off the weeds, uproots them, and splinters the yolk of despair.” Outstanding work, Amy!
LOST IN THE WEEDS by Amy Barlow Liberatore
She is lost in the weeds.
She’s good wheat, but what sprouts near her
possess voices that pierce and keen.
No matter how strong her fortress,
an unfamiliar, frightening force
rattles the bars of her gate.
She needs an image to cling to,
wholly holy, distinctly divine.
A steadfast vision beyond this
jangling jungle of fear becomes clear.
She shakes off the weeds, uproots them,
and splinters the yolk of despair.
© 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Walt’s pick:
I “found” this poem to really touch a chord with me. Maybe just recently losing a family member I am a little more sensitive to the final line, but I thought the depiction of the last moment of a life well lived was gentle and respectful and loving. With that, I find myself choosing the poem by Jennifer Jackson. Her work is making great strides of late, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
A LOST AND FOUND POEM by Jennifer Jackson
Her hands unfold
Pages from her book of life
Words whole lines
Sporting spots faded
Every rough patch suspended
On gentleness between
Refuge once for babies
Harbor to friends lost in seas
Overflowing from
Inner storms
Lovers basked in touches
Fed food grasped by
Once-strong fingers
Her hands unfold a
Map of everything
She is or was
Before a syllable is
Uttered
And the pen scribbles
Its last entry
In her book of life
CONGRATULATIONS AMY AND JENIFFER FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS!
***
The obvious has slipped detection. No one had come up with the challenge for the CD of WOOD. What I was looking for was for someone to write a Found Poem (poetic form). It had to have been identified by our poet as such. The “prize” will have to be dangled another day. But, I loved the effort by all this week.
You’ll want to check in for the Sunday Seed as early as you can tomorrow. Marie and I have something special planned which we are very excited about. Join us for our weekly walk in our poetic garden!
