Sunday, November 4, 2012

Sunday Morning Poetry



Words.
Long one, short ones, cliche and obscure
Modern, archaic, proper and all slang-like
I love them all.

If I had my druthers, I'd piddle about with them all day;
I'd pick 'em, spit 'em, drop 'em
I'd twist 'em, mince 'em, chop it up
I'd sing 'em, most loud, sweet cacophony.

Oh, but occasionally
I eat 'em
I quote 'em, I give 'em, I take 'em
I live and breathe 'em

I fear them.
"They can and will be used against you"...
A detail, minutiae, to an infinitesimal speck of who you thought you once were
They'll expose you and exploit you

Pulchritude, power, horror, ugliness and shame
They are love and loathing, hope and despair.
They incite riots and laughter and insight and change.
They escape you, they fail you, but they come back...

Awestruck by love, writhing in pain, at desire's peak, on the brink of death
A final utterance, one last plea
For naught but their own posterity.
Words.


The poem above was graciously lent by my wordsmithing friend at Tea and Honeybread.  I took the picture on our weekend trip to Iowa.  This is the one room school house attended by a six year old Herbert Hoover.  

10 comments:

Meri said...

Love the school house image, Relyn. It seems so appropriate for teacher-you. And thanks for the homage to us wordies.

Jeanne said...

Big hugs and much love. Love your photograph as well. Happy Soulful Sunday♥

Anonymous said...

I like the photo with the poem. Seems like they were meant to go together.

HKatz said...

I fear them.

To me the poem took a fresh turn, an ominous turn, with those words. I felt a little bit of fear settle in me reading them. Up until that point the poem had a lazy, casual, carefree feeling to it... and then I fear them.

Excellent selection; thanks for sharing it.

joyce said...

I was all set to congratulate you on such a wonderful poem, but even if you didn't write it as I first thought.....it's a keeper!

Jennifer Richardson said...

i second that emotion:)
-Jennifer

Suz said...

oh yes indeed

Amy said...

Ah, a poem after my own heart! :)

And I love the photo!

Tracy said...

Words... they have such power, all emotions...mmm... And LOVELY photo! :o) Happy Week, Relyn ((HUGS))

S. Etole said...

This reminds me of the country school I attended in first and second grade.

Oldies, but Goodies