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| April 2009 |
Let’s say the sounds before all
words
to acknowledge the bones and lost
homelands
always beneath our feet, under
carpets
and ironworks, cement and pine
needles.
Let’s use the words we know to
shape the love
blooming here in forsythia and
dogwood,
rooting here in green and brown
shades of trees,
grass and bushes, holding shores of
rivers.
Let’s note riverbeds overflowing
with
ice melt and rain, with danger and
hope,
with poisons and tears and fish and
blessings.
Let’s wade in. Let’s restore
spirit and soul.
(My soul returns to the Hudson River
where snow dots spongy ground in early spring,
where Dutch met with Mohican and Pequot
peoples before wars and land grabs began.)
Down by riversides at sunrise,
let words
honor Mother and Father and sisters
and brothers. Let’s stay to practice giving,
healing and shouting the sounds before words.
Let’s watch branches glow and grass
green while
music flows down by the riverside,
let’s
renew right here and now, this side
and that,
while sun rises, crosses above, and
sets.
For my prompt
Poets United Midweek Motif ~ April
My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.
Cut Down Version of "April Riverside":
original words
acknowledge bones
and lost homelands
under carpets and ironworks
cement and pine needles
how words shape
love blooming
forsythia and dogwood
rooting green and brown
shades of trees, grass and bushes
lining river banks
riverbeds
overflow with
ice melt and rain
poisons and tears
fish and blessings
spirit and soul.
My river is the Hudson in early spring;
snow dots and spongy ground
residue of 17th century Dutch
meeting Mohican
and Pequot peoples
Riverside sunrise rites
honor Mother and Father
sisters and brothers
honor giving and healing
sing original words
Branches glow
grass greens
music flows
sun rises
crosses above
and sets.
##
giving,
ReplyDeletehealing and singing words before all words... this is a beautiful message. Honour the past, heal the scars and sing with nature...isn't that the way it was meant to be!
Of the two versions, I prefer the full-length version, over the truncated one.I feel like, as a reader, am getting the full picture, of Hudson River Valley, from the past, to the present, with all of its glory and warts, too.
ReplyDeleteOver the last few years I have become pretty depressed with the treatment of our heritage and the beautiful world we live in all in the name of profit and greed. We have a difficuly time ahead of us wherever we live in this world to save it so our descendants can see and experience how wonderful it is.
ReplyDeleteThough i luv minimalist forms, i have to say, with this one, i much much prefer the longer version. The musicality of your poem extends into the rhythm of the video.
ReplyDeleteAnd, luv the slide of those greats shoes in the video,
Wow! i just lingered here today, completely mesmerized in a very good way
much love...
a wonderful pair...in the vast canvas of the first one, 'before wars and land grabs began.' stare at me in tears...sigh...
ReplyDeleteThe river so reminiscent of life and Spring is a healing time to be sure. Wish I could share some of our rain with Uganda and other drought lands.
ReplyDeleteHappy April
I think both versions are beautiful. The combine joy and sadness in a unique way.
ReplyDeleteYour beautiful words call to my mind the words of the wise old native American, Chief Seattle, who said, in part, "At night, when the streets of your cities and villages shall be silent, and you think them deserted, they will throng with the returning hosts that once filled and still love this beautiful land."
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your vision of April, Susan. Indeed, let's wade in that river and restore spirit and soul. We all definitely could use restoration. Loved your last stanza....with the branches glowing and the grass greening & oh that music down by the riverside! You are a talented poet, Susan.
ReplyDeleteI love the first version. I especially love the forsythia and dogwood (forsythia is one of my fave early spring blooms), and the description of the Hudson River.
ReplyDeleteThe first version flows like the river. I love that song too.
ReplyDeleteSo much of April has to do with restoration, rejuvenation, and renewal. Your last stanza beautifully sums up this process, having pondered on the magic of what comes before it. I prefer the longer version for its melodic narration, desiring all the details of spring's story.
ReplyDeletePoppy
This made me think of many rivers (strange, because I had just written a poem using a river motif before reading yours) and it impacted on my mind the enduring metaphoric meaning of these vital bodies of water. That we name them, shows how important they are.
ReplyDeleteOh, you quite transported me to that different world! In this case I don't think the cut-down version works as well.
ReplyDeleteThe long version sings to my soul. However, I will have to be content with the riverside visions you craft so beautifully, for here in my portion of the desert, no river flows.
ReplyDeleteI too, like the longer poem better, Susan. There is such timelessness and permanence and grandeur in it, yet at the same time a fragility is expressed... Lovely!
ReplyDelete