Saturday 27 October 2012

The fire within





i wake up to pitter patter of rain
and bare sight of you --
bereft of leaves,
dark limbs jutting in the sky window

how quickly cold dawn has sapped
green and fresh colors --
i see spidery lines,
delicate russet edges,   

small scar on my left knee, 
one-inch stitch on left breast,
frail back, slight bump on forehead -
all reminders not to jump on impulse
and throw caution recklessly -  

in time
i have become 
more of a tree
than a carefree spring cloud-  

slightly drooping 
eyebrows, tiny freckles under eyes,
bearing fruits and laughter lines,
with small mole on right cheek,
which still keeps growing -

i wear them all - 
120 pounds,  long wavy hair -
in graceful acceptance of season's passage 

but not forgetting 
to rise    
every morning (specially work days) 
and run
after the fire dream --
  
your feverish breath on my face --- 

 

“As if you were on fire from within. The moon lives in the lining of your skin.” by Pablo Neruda
Posted for:   D'verse Poets Pub - Poetics: Self Portrait - Thanks for the visit -
Shared with Poets United~

picture credit:  here

50 comments:

  1. smiles...love you as a tree....put down roots a bit more than a cloud, but still beautiful...reaching up...and its those little scars, marks that make us unique...i really believe that...so..nice piece...

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    1. I believe in that too Brian ~ Thanks for the encouragement and support ~

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  2. Every little thing we build up makes us who we are, whatever comes to our bar, does shape indeed. Happy weekend to your feed.

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    1. It does indeed shape us ~ Thanks for the visit Pat ~

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  3. it's a very proud poem, Heaven!

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  4. I like that you are kind to yourself. So many people spend so much time anguishing over this isn't 'perfect' that isn't 'right' you look at yourself and you see you as you really are and, you as you are sound lovely.
    Beautiful imagery in all of this.

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    1. I think I am at a point in my life where it doesn't matter anymore...what matters is the future and what I can still be ~

      Thanks Bren ~

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  5. What a Heaven-ly poem. I hope you catch that dream

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  6. I love your approach to the prompt... and I have quite a few scars, too.

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  7. This is a unique achievement .. excellent piece.

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  8. I believe you have captured yourself perfectly. The slight flaws are no blemish on the tree you've grown to be, forever changing, aging GRACEfully with the seasons -- so precious, so beautiful, so close to HEAVEN.

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    1. Such inspiring comments Gay ~ I hope I will age gracefully in the coming years ~

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  9. I absolutely love this because it was like you wrote it about me (sounds selfish, huh). It was stunning!

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    1. Elsie, thanks for the lovely thoughts ~ I appreciate it ~

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  10. This is a great response Grace. Really nice weave of image and reflection, great ending. Strong piece, thanks for sharing tonight

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  11. Grace, this is beautiful. Yes, how quickly cold has sapped those green and fresh colors. And autumn makes me realize there will be no let-up to this. I love the ending, running after the fire dream. It still can be found, as you know.

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  12. Love this! Really beautifully done.

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  13. You capture the process of your life and its toll with beauty and gentle grace. There is a wonderful sense of hope here and a belief in the bright future.

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  14. i much like the tree image, there's much beauty in it..and in this little scars where we carry the wounds of life and still smile into the morning...i like

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  15. Wonderful portrait of a life, Grace, painted lovingly across the canvas of your body. I like this so much.

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  16. Beautiful self portrait I must say, so delicately drawn. I love that you embrace and accept all that you are that is a very rare quality. I think this is my favourite today...

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  17. like a map
    this poem is
    wanting to explore
    every word

    -me


    my little ode to you. :)

    this truly is beautiful grace.

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  18. i love how you link everything to one...

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  19. I like how you find yourself...beautiful..

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  20. This is such a beautiful piece of writing, I'm listening to John Legend right now and I love the kind of jazzy vibes I'm getting from reading this, it was a perfect little piece of reading for a relaxed Sunday morning, love it Heaven!

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  21. Trees are so important and powerful images/tropes for grasping living

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  22. That pic is awesome and I love your tree references, keep growing!

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  23. Beautiful Heaven and now I know you please to meet you :)

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  24. Grace, Grace, Grace... I'm speechless, and that is not a trait I thought myself to possess. I find that your name befits the poem, its a poem full of a woman's grace.

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  25. beautiful, profound and intense.the ending was especially wonderful.

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  26. this is so deep and intimate...your sharing like this is so generous Grace; you inspire....

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  27. Like this so much. Especially because it paints your picture - strong, rooted, wisely cautious now, and though you didn't speak of it, this displays your heart. So nice.

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  28. Hmmm...tree, the skeleton of a once cloud. That's cool
    I loved the reflectiveness of this, and the gentle acceptance of what you see.
    It all sounds quite lovely to me

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  29. Just lovely! Let's hear it for the trees! Those little dings are what give us character! I'd kill to be 120 pounds, girl!

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  30. An amazing image of the leaf super-imposed on a woman's body. Love your poem about being more of a tree than a cloud. Brilliant! and the "not forgetting to run after the fire dream". Beautiful writing, kiddo.

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  31. Maybe it's my age, but I think the tree is more appealing than the cloud.

    Beautiful introspection and inspection of self.

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  32. Most important: Not forgetting to rise every morning. Yes! :-)

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  33. lovely poem. I'm super jealous that I don't weigh 120 pounds, but I don't get up and run after the fire dream each morning, so I suppose I can't complain (smiles)

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  34. Lovely concept! (And I like the Neruda quote. too.)

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  35. It reveals your strong nature, Heaven! Sincerity is uppermost in all instances. Nicely!

    Hank

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  36. how quickly cold dawn has sapped
    green and fresh colors --
    i see spidery lines,
    delicate russet edges,

    ...really like this, great imagery...also like the acceptance of...

    in time
    i have become
    more of a tree
    than a carefree spring cloud-

    ...nicely done.


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  37. wow...that pretty much sums it up... words and image... wow!

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  38. What a fine self-portrait. Very nice balance of detail and more abstract imagery. I liked this: in time /i have become / more of a tree / than a carefree spring cloud-

    Thanks for sharing.

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Thanks for your visit and comments ~ I appreciate them ~