Birthday
At dawn the air is dense with contrails almost not-there,
yet meadow, hedge and sky are all a-glitter: the time of year
when small migrating spiders launch their bodies into space
on less than a breath, and mesh the light. They can’t know
where they’re landing or even if they’ll arrive; but autumn’s
glow is richer and the day brighter for their risk. Microscopic,
their trust in life is one that we can’t have, with our
knowingness, the way we lumber through our years;
and oh what I’d give to rest this body on space and sky
like that, not caring where I’m going, if my fragile tensile arc
will lasso the future, if I’ll ever get there, or who comes with me.
© Roselle Angwin, 23 September 2015
Walking the Old Ways : nature, the bardic & druidic arts, holism, Zen, the ecological imagination
from BARDO
The stars are in our belly; the Milky Way
Is it a consolation
is star-stuff too?
– That wherever you go you can never fully disappear –
Tree, rain, coal, glow-worm, horse, gnat, rock.
Roselle Angwin
Thanks for this, Roselle. I like it very much. I particularly like 'lumber through our years' and the beautiful last three lines. A lovely piece of writing, I think — one of your best.
ReplyDeleteMay I feature this on my blog?
ReplyDeleteA beautiful image and lovely poem. Happy birthday! x
ReplyDeleteThank you Robert and Anon! It was written in about 5 minutes and hardly redrafted, and I'm never sure about posting poems fresh from the pen. Glad you liked it, and Robert of course I should be delighted!
ReplyDeleteOff in the campervan to the Cornish coast for a day or two now...
It works, it's as gemlike as the spiders, the last few lines take it beyond and brought tears to my eyes. Near-perfect, I'd say.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Roselle, and happy birthday again from Fife. A still, calm equinox up here so here's to calm and creativity.
Love from both, M&J.
PS enjoy Cornwall!
Thank you, Miriam. Eloise and I had 3 wonderful hot dreamy days down on the Cornish cliffs. Look forward to hearing about Fife. TWR to be started later this week.
ReplyDeleteLove to both. Rxx
Your poem now up on my blog, Roselle — with some appreciative comments.
ReplyDelete