i walk up the sloping hill
summer heat prickling pale skin
fallen frangipani petals on ground
mango tree stood at the crest
same spot for last five decades
now bare to the bones, drooping
grimacing at each labored breath
dark lines under arms, draping
tubes of oxygen, unwanted leis
small brown roots, shrubs peek
under long shadows, tender shoots
vibrant green, facing the sun
nearby a narrow river flows
red stone lantern gazes serenely
gray stepping stones, rock garden
bonsai, mosses hush in eye of storm
boulders of white pebbles stack
neatly like rosary beads in my hand
Author's Note: I traveled last week to visit my ailing parents, specially my mom. Yesterday after her surgery, she is now recovering, and hopefully out of the woods.
Hope to visit you soon~
Hope to visit you soon~
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub-OpenLinkNight and Imaginary Garden with Real Toads.
The Gooseberry Garden: Poetry Picnic Week 8: Friends, Relationships and Everyone around
Picture credit: http://silent-musings.tumblr.com/
The Gooseberry Garden: Poetry Picnic Week 8: Friends, Relationships and Everyone around
Picture credit: http://silent-musings.tumblr.com/
Best wishes to you and your parents, dear.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you and your parents. I hope they feel better soon.
ReplyDeletefeel better my friend, best wishes :)
ReplyDeleteStunning imagery! Sweet moments in time held within the hand of memories. Hope all feel better soon.
ReplyDeletei am sorry for what you are walking through...never easy with ailing parents...i am glad she has come through...i hope / pray for continued progress...
ReplyDeletenice verse....
Sending happy health rays your way...
ReplyDeleteSending you and your family good thoughts, especially a speedy recovery for your mom. I love the last lines of your poem -- the imagery like rosary beads in your hand.
ReplyDeleteHope all continues for the better and quite the walk in your verse as well, vividly told.
ReplyDeletewishing your parents good health & much love & support. beautiful poem!
ReplyDeleteThe references to nature were beautifully defined - I understood why the mango tree has been personified as ailing after I read your author's note. I particularly like the image which you left with the reader - the patience of counting stones.
ReplyDeletealso best wishes. This is a very insightful piece and I really like the last stanza
ReplyDeleteThank you for the best wishes, kind thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteall the best for your parents heaven and nice metaphor with the nature images
ReplyDeleteI love where your words take me and to end up in your palm was just the perfect place to land.
ReplyDeleteSending you lots of love and positive energy Heaven. Best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery for your Parent! Stay strong.
ReplyDelete...and yes ,as always, Beautiful poem.
out of the woods she'll be after this heart felt words you write Heaven
ReplyDeletethe best for you
I hope your mom makes a speedy recovery. It isn't easy for folks when they get older and begin to lose their independence.
ReplyDeleteLovely write!
Best wishes fr your parents, Heaven. Lovely imagery in your poem..
ReplyDeleteseems like your parents are in a good environment for healing.
ReplyDeletewhat could be more peaceful than under a mango tree?
Prayers for your strength and your mom....
ReplyDeletenice window of time you've taken us on... do like the pale skin at the beginning and the white pebbles at the end
ReplyDeleteI hope all will be well. You did a great job of melding the natural and human imagery. Or perhaps you recognized that it's all one. Very fine poem.
ReplyDeleteLove and well wishes to Mom from all of us at the pub. Trying and difficult times...none the less, a wonderful and poetic moment has been penned...write your way through!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully evocative-- very true to itself in the sense of unifying imagery-- xxxj
ReplyDeleteNot certain if this was your intention, but this was like a collection of modified haiku, unified into a wonderfully captivating piece -- nicely done...!
ReplyDeleteAn evocative and settling metaphor - and though I may sound like a broken record here, in echoing others, I do wish the best to you and your family. Such times are never easy, even in the recovery period.
ReplyDeleteWarm thoughts for you and your parents.
ReplyDeleteThere's a poignant harmony between natural beauty and decay in this poem that speaks of peace amidst sadness. You describe my landscape here - mango trees don't grow north of central Florida. They're my favorite fruit.
Peace to you.
So poignant, the mango
ReplyDelete"now bare to the bones, drooping."
May the plumeria blossom brightly again for you all, and the fruit of the mango again be sweet!
Hope you feel better soon best wished to you and your parents
ReplyDeletehttp://gatelesspassage.com/2011/10/11/the-day-of-the-dead/
A fine poem. A beautiful poem. I still see those petals.
ReplyDeleteWishing you well and also for your kind folks. A beautiful verse!
ReplyDeleteHank
Very nice piece. The metaphor is pretty much perfect here. Love the natural elements within the piece. Very good read, thanks. And hope all gets better soon for you and your parents. I'll keep your mother's healthy recovery in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry, Heaven. I'm going through the same with my aging parents and my brother, dying of cancer, eaten away.
ReplyDeleteThank you for giving us this glimpse -- wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you and your parents.
It's interesting the scene reflects the thoughts of the narrator -- from the mango tree to the boulders of white pebbles reflecting prayer.
ReplyDeleteI read your note too. Best wishes to your mother's recovery.
lovely words...nicely crafted lines!
ReplyDelete