One item filling her arms
when he yawned the door
was the umbrella opened
when she left in afternoon,
an umbra begun in breath and blue
under a dome of breaking spines.
There was no salwar kameez or sari
even in aqua and ivory to meet
when she crossed the lintel,
her pale and ungainly jog
in the journey away from ash.
There was no magic in the candy wrapper
nor three-chord punk in sandstone places
nor copper rounds meant for flipping tails.
His mistake indeed.
The flat husk of a crushed toad
was sad baritone to his eyes:
the candor of found objects
easily embossed in giddy flock.
The pointing yellow markers
painted by an unknown hand
marked out a route in henna
that he already knew quite well,
for the want she imagined in him
was meet for her when peaking,
was only a blossom tip where
floating in a cloudy dome
the blood orange hollow rises.
Posts
Sad. I remember as a child the delight in finding pennies in the street, under couch cushions, in the bottom of purses I was allowed to play with. Now I throw them away...no magic, no magic. I throw money away as an annoyance. Can't buy nothin for a penny and I don't have patience to collect. I kinda feel bad about it. Perhaps, my mistake indeed.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Indian silhouette this creates in my mind...
ReplyDeleteI am liking this new style, and to read the word "lintel" in a poem written in 2010, is exceedingly thrilling. :)
ReplyDeleteThere's that sight level you focus on again. I wonder if you often trip while walking and narrowing on the minutiae, especially while carrying umbrellas and darting dead frogs?
ReplyDeleteNo one thinks quite like you, Gerry.
Does the guy ever get the girl? Do they ever breathe deeply together sustained?
xo
erin
I especially like "no magic in the candy wrapper" and the "sad baritone". Nice.
ReplyDeletethoroughly enjoyable on a language level alone, even if there was not also an uncanny call to follow the colour and sound, the tips and edges of approach-retreat, the curve and slide of things unsaid and to be said....
ReplyDeletedelightful.
Great images Gerry
ReplyDelete@W&W: Glad to evoke any memories regardless of their timbre. That's means I'm doing my job.
ReplyDelete@jinksy: 'ello love. great to see ya stoppin' by.
@Megan: Is 'lintel' arch or obs? Hmmm, let me check my sources. Of course you know I am old. Ha! Still just messin' around, though, after all these years. Cheers.
@WIAW: Most of my tripping was done when I was a younger man. ;-) The effects do linger though. xo
@willow: thanks willow. I value you as a reader, so I'm glad you get a little something out of this nonsense.
@Harlequin: If you're delighted, I'm delighted. Cheers.
@Gordon: Thank you Mr. Mason.
Your imagery is breathtaking...you've left me truly inspired, thank you :) xx
ReplyDelete@Mizzholborow: Having read your work, I can only return the compliment. You have an incredible poetic voice. Mr. Thomas rolls in jealousy with each of your posts. ;-)
ReplyDeletewow :)
ReplyDelete@Faranza: Blushing. :-)
ReplyDeleteGerry,
ReplyDeleteWith promised consideration, I return to compliment you on this fine piece of work. I especially liked the idea of the umbra and the colours used, which helped to evoke, a henna tinged encounter.
Rather beautiful.
Best wishes, Eileen
Beautiful, as always.
ReplyDelete@Ms. O'Neill: Cheers.
ReplyDelete@Akeith: Thanks for checking in. Much obliged.
What else to say...??? they summed it all... i was amazed with the keenness of your thought and imagery... much worth of a praise!!!:D
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed day!!!:)
>Kelvin
@WINDOWLAD: Cheers.
ReplyDeleteGreat rhythm here, very well crafted.
ReplyDelete@JZKnowles-Smith: Great handle you have there. Thanks for reading and welcome.
ReplyDelete