Saturday 10 May 2014

Sorrowful Songs


Remove the cloak from your eyes

What you see as shadows are bubbles   

What you deem as cracks are stitches 

To you, born into war

A lover's face is a poised gun, ecstatic for more




Blood, but I'm not made of red dust & chipped wood

For you, I would be

seeds, dried & salted for next season's harvest

leaves, bottled in oil & strained for autumn's feast

fruits, sugar-stirred & melted warm, sweet wine

If only you can rein in the beast inside 



You, the one turning your honey tongue to stone

And strikes a fist from dead bone heart

Even in your murderous gaze,

I will not drift away, helpless as small bird  

Here is my offering - a healing, a moving of wings-

a flare reflecting my mother's face.  

  

She is a survivor too.








Sorrowful Songs:  Duet



Posted for Imaginary Garden for Real Toads - I am hosting featured artist, Susie McMahon's  arts & dolls ~ Please check out the link for more poems ~

Shared with Poets United

Happy weekend & Happy Mother's Day ~

44 comments:

  1. "A healing, a moving of wings
    A flare reflecting my mother's face."

    Beautifully and thoughtfully penned.
    Happy Mother's Day to you, Grace.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I liked the opening stanza

    ReplyDelete
  3. "What you see as shadows are bubbles / What you deem as cracks are stitches..."

    Those two lines might stay with me forever. There is so much to be said about outside perception, and about what we decide to do with it and about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Misunderstanding arising from different perceptions can cause a lot of problems ~ Thank you Magaly ~

      Delete
  4. Simply wonderful in so many ways! Absolutely love it, Grace!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow. Love this. The war-raised and trained are buried deep within themselves under quick response, fear of death, need to have control. How their loved ones deal with them, I don't even know, but generations of survivors--mothers, fathers, daughters, brothers, etc--are willing and loving enough to brave the dis ease.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Women are survivors, more than men, I believe ~ Thanks Susan ~

      Delete
  6. So many things to like here Grace, the contrast of the soldier and the mother.. somehow that's where every woman finds herself.. hopefully someday the soldiers will not be there...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Smiles, ha ~ Thanks for the visit Loredana ~

    ReplyDelete
  8. Amazing response, Grace...bitter sweet, earthy and surreal.

    Thank you for the challenge!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Has to be one of the hardest things ever indeed, just watching and waiting, hopefully in time non will be needed, but doubtful it seems

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is lovely Grace, you paint picture of a strong and vibrant character. I very much enjoyed this poem, you write with such strength in your words.
    Hope you have a good Mother Day.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Both your verse and the artists' work are incredible . . .

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is so strong and wonderful for the artwork. That final stanza has amazing imagery!

    ReplyDelete
  13. A strong piece for Mother's day. Gracefully written.. :)

    Have a wondrous Mother's Day
    A hug
    1ManView

    ReplyDelete
  14. You have made such an exquisite selection of words and phrase which really speak the the mood of this, and many others of Susie's artworks.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The eternally strong mother bearing the brunt of the follies of her children and ever forgiving ..such a beautiful voice she has...

    ReplyDelete
  16. The pain of war and the loss of loved ones........depicted very strongly and an apt justice with the doll.

    ReplyDelete
  17. just a gripping write for mother's day... love the last line... loved..For you, I would be

    seeds, dried & salted for next season's harvest....

    ReplyDelete
  18. Very powerful words, Grace. The first stanza is my favorite. What we see does not necessarily reflect what is there.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Very profound approach to your thoughts,

    Much love...

    ReplyDelete
  20. This was so tender....so intimate. Beautiful, Grace.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Very nice Grace, a powerful piece.

    ReplyDelete
  22. i absolutely love the first part about bubbles and stitches. it speaks!

    ReplyDelete
  23. "....a healing, a moving of wings"....the mother's face and "She is a survivor too". Deeply felt and so powerful.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Poignant, Grace. Happy Mother's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  25. It's good to be a survivor. An excellent poem to match the stunning artwork Grace, Happy Mother's Day!!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. wow...what cool art grace....seeing hte lover as a loaded gun...that made me sit up and read deeper into this...that stand alone last line says much...a mother is enough...one that is a survivor all the more...

    happy moms day

    ReplyDelete
  27. Here is my offering - a healing, a moving of wings-

    a flare reflecting my mother's face.

    She is a survivor too. So powerful...beautiful poem Grace

    ReplyDelete
  28. Love your beautiful beautiful words.
    Anna :o]

    ReplyDelete
  29. Perhaps it's inevitable that people live in the worlds of their different experiences. Life's challenge is to be able to build bridges to places inhabited by others. Very powerful writing, Grace.
    Steve K.

    ReplyDelete
  30. a healing, a moving of wings

    And so you may soar...

    ReplyDelete
  31. This spoke of strength to me. Especially about the stitches. I like that part the best. Well done. Thank you, Grace! Have a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Powerful song...poem...love the contrast of two characters: mother and son; very intense, meaningful words, make me read couple times. Thanks for sharing, Grace! xx

    ReplyDelete
  33. When i posted i couldnt find the immage...was one with tree branches that i saw on the post that lead me to link to your post there...feel free to keep or deleat my link as u see fit i have no way now of adding the picture so no hard feelings...like the artwork for the prompt

    Chris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Think it was pages of me...ie the tree of my life...

      Delete
    2. Chris, thanks for the clarification ~ I will keep your link in Real Toads ~ Thanks for participating & wishing you Happy Week ~

      Delete
  34. .. 'for you, I would be seeds, dried & salted for next season's harvest leaves' ~~ surviving, yes.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your visit and comments ~ I appreciate them ~