could he row back time through ancient channels
oars heaving on the drag where stillbirth weeps
splinters edged their way, his leathered hands held
damp muscles moaned and begged unending sleep
the doldrums drugged him, nudged defiant nuance
come rest, they said, forget and bide ye here
amid false calm to dark tumult hereunder
relax, lay back, your haven it is near
mesmeric waves of stillness poured upon him
narcotic song of sirens far beneath
to drift in waves of opioid rhythmic cadence
temptation in surrender, weapons sheathed
yet he rowed, in shards of pain and fury
the rasping on his skin a testament
endurance, no mere word, in life’s still waters
muscled memory hoved though strength near spent
miles or more he moved in arcs of fruitless
or so it seemed as fog around still lay
plied, exerted, all he had within him
lone figure, chloroformed, in shadowed day
a mirror watched his progress, paid his passage
unknown to him, it glanced on waters dark
slivers sliced and pierced his skin, world weathered
weary palms saw nothing of their spark
determination drove his lone resistance
persistence plied in dogged dips and heaved
cleared the stagnant sludge that hindered leverage
worked his way towards something he believed
Intense words and imagery. A powerful poem.
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Thank you so much, Diana, and for the retweet. My Kindle twitter tool isn’t responding to emails – think I’ll need to upgrade something. Not quite sure what.
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I’m happy to tweet your poem, but I can’t help you with technology. I’m still in the stone age. 🙂 🙂
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The cave next door, here. 😉
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“a mirror watched his progress, paid his passage” That line right there is the best I have ever read. Wonderful writing Anne Marie.
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What a tremendous compliment. Thank you, Daniel. I’m dead chuffed you think so.
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Love chuffed I must add it to my vocabulary. 🙂
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Got to put in ‘dead’ for full Glaswegian effect. A multipurpose adjective. 😉
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A rather mystical prelude…I think I hear a single actor, floodlit on otherwise blackened stage offer this up as intro monologue. Splendid stuff indeed
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Thank you kindly, Mike. I’m now tempted to ask if you do readings. I don’t know that about you yet but you sound as if you know a thing or two about theatre. You’ve conjured the scene for me and I’m always prepared to have guests. 🙂
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Me? I know little about little and haven’t seen a stage play for years sadly. My voice certainly wouldn’t do for the West End (South London accent you see). However, the joy of a good poem is that without invitation it is capable of taking both thoughts and indeed mind generally where it wants to…in essence the poem comes to life. With this super piece it was a solitary soul upon a stage. Sadly, I cannot lay claim to be anything other than an old fool.
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We’re all fools in the same circus. It takes a certain amount of smarts to know that. 😉
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I like your use of alliteration here, it addsto the sense of this being an endless voyage. Your poem very much evokes a feeling of searching for something that one knoes isn’t there. Well written, Anne-Marie.
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Many thanks, Chris. Might be a bit of a reflection on my long holiday weekend. Getting nowhere fast.
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Half-term next week for me (hurrah!). First day back is a ‘training’ day: six hours on ‘ Maths Mastery’. You may well ask!
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I read that as ‘mystery’ and thought, aye, it all is. Mastery’s even more worrying! Where do they get them? Enjoy your break when it comes, Chris. 🙂
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the rower draws deep of my empathy – love it
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I’m not surprised you bear his admirable character traits, Paul.
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Weighty poem! Loved it.
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🙂 x
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Incredibly powerful, descriptive of physical exertion and emotional mood. So many gems here such as “opioid rhythmic cadence” and “drag where stillbirth weeps”. Stunning writing at it’s best…just loved this. 😊
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Many thanks, Krysia. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m running at the coo’s tale here. A long weekend but the kids off school too. Fun but no rest. 🙂
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Loving the coo! I can identify with that, my 6 are a lot older than your 7… 32 to 18… So my times are a changing, but it passes and now I find myself in a very new and interesting place! Hang on in there and strength and energy to you…lots of it! 😀
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My youngest just turned 9 on Monday so a ways to go yet. I’ll be taking as much of that stength and energy I can when I find it. 🙂
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Yep…that strength and energy most illusive…still haven’t found it yet! 🙂
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Vitamin D!
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Sunny today….Vitamin D making day! 🌄
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