Friday, June 4, 2010

The Nature Bus and the Magpie

Once again I’m combining The Poetry Bus and the Magpie prompts. The Mag prompt you can see below. The Weaver of Grass is driving the Poetry Bus on Monday (yes, I’m tad early). She wants us to take a ramble in the countryside and write about nature. This is a bit of a cheat because it’s not exactly about nature, or I guess I should say that it’s not the poem I thought I would write. But it’s what came – and we all know how that is! And now the explanation is officially longer than the poem. So I’ll shut up now!




Swimming that Dark Sea



Above would be nice.
I thrust a hand upward
through the murk,
the tips of my fingers
free,
the knuckles of that hand
straining toward a fresh hope
I can’t quite reach.
Not quite.

And earth’s lamentations
cover me like
a familiar quilt
stitched together
by ancient creation
weeping, as it sews.

Weeping.


To read other Magpie entries go here. If you want to check out the crazy folks on the bus, go here on Monday.

P.S. Dr. M thinks the Magpie prompt looks like one of the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who. And now I am officially creeped out. Yikes!

P.P.S. I know I shouldn't, but I wanted to make it clear that I'm talking about the gulf oil spill crisis in the poem.

30 comments:

  1. oh this was so nice....
    you gave me a chuckle with your intro...at a week long poetry retreat...we grew weary of one spending 15 minutes telling us about their 1 min. poem...by the end of the week when this person stood we all said outloud..
    just read the damn poem!
    good job bug

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  2. Nice Magpie! It is a bit about nature ....a rather surreal nature.

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  3. "earth’s lamentations cover me like a familiar quilt" wonderful image...very nice indeed....bkm

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  4. She failed to mention that I, Dr. M, have a *major* crush on one Amelia Pond...tall, leggy, redhead, Scottish, time traveler...what's not to love?

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  5. I updated the post to say that I'm talking about the gulf oil spill crisis in the poem. Otherwise people might wonder where the nature part came from!

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  6. I think this is brilliant. I'm glad something good is resulting from the oil spill!

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  7. I loved how you tied in the beauty of the quilt. Well done Dana!

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  8. Wow! Great little poem! Glad you mentioned the oil spill, it does make it more accessible but it's good as it stands, quite enigmatic and beautiful. You guys get Dr Who over there? Cool! The Weeping Angels are officially the most creepy 'baddies' ever!

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  9. @ Argent: BBC America on Saturday night! Love the Doctor!

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  10. could be part of an epic legend .... I can almost feel the "murk"

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  11. Well 'bug' I can't think of a subject closer to the heart of nature at present than that terrible oil crisis you have over there - and I think you have captured the whole spirit of that crisis very well indeed. I read the poem and immediately thought of the oil crisis before I saw your note at the bottom.
    Thanks for being early for the bus
    now I have got to try and come to terms with making a link!
    Feel free to help yourself to the blackberry whisky and sloe vodka while you are waiting for the bus to fill up. Thanks for coming on the ride.

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  12. Lovely Magpie. Intimacy with Earth. Love it.

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  13. Powerful, the way you keyed in on what's going on today in your poem.

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  14. It's a very touching poem, Dana. I wish you hadn't had the subject matter for it, of course :-(

    The oil spill has been so devastating, and remains ongoing, it truly leaves me without much to say because it's that heartbreaking.

    So I'm going to talk about the picture that went with the poem a little. I liked it tremendously, it told a story all by itself. Doesn't it look like it was taken in the attic of a Victorian-era story? A discard from the fussy garden. Maybe in another corner is a portrait of a relative no one in the family talks about any longer, after a fall from grace. Boxed up wedding gowns, trunks of old toys.

    Of course, it makes me wonder. If you're anything like us, in your attic you've got a couple of exceptionally garish items -- gifts or things you can't bear to throw away.

    Makes me wonder what true Victorians would have stashed in their attics :-) "Put that in the attic John, it's so unspeakably plain..."

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  15. Powerful poem, I really enjoyed reading it; it chronicles such a tragic event that truly hurts us all deeply. I love that you combine the Poetry Bus and the Magpie Tale prompt, it seems to be a real recipe for artistic brilliance.

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  16. I'm glad you added the explanation about the oil spill reference. Super piece. My first read conjured images of a young plant rising through the soil. Maybe a weeping willow?

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  17. Yes, our Gulf Coast is indeed weeping .... and your Magpie is terrific!

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  18. Ah, the agony which can only be eased by the weeping of the ancient creation. Beautiful is the poem ~ the event is disastrous.

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  19. fabulous magging!

    I wasn't sure about the gulf until you made it nicely clear ~ thanks

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  20. Lovely poem. Yes, the earth must surely be lamenting what her thoughtless children have done now.

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  21. that line about earths lamentations covering as a quilt is brilliant...there is something definitely earthy to your magpie!

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  22. We are a bit crazy, aren't we?

    I like the repetition from the quote and murk is a word I've long admired.

    Kat

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  23. lovely tale...
    it is perfect when you take nature as part of it...

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  24. Dear Bug: This poem is very deep indeed as deep as "Swimming that Dark Sea" poem by The Bug. The line, "I thrust a hand upward" shows hope through the Biblical Lamentations and much weeping and possibly gnashing of teeth. The pain is highly tactile a mix. The quilt reference is also illustrative; evoking comfort through this transitory pain. I feel the sadness in this poem; but all is not without hope as the poem mentions "the ancient creation". This gives a sense of control in the chaos; all is not lost; hopefully! ps I love Dr. Who from the 70's Taris is the spelling of Tartalus? Do you remember Dr. Who when he had the long multi-coloured scarf and the curly blond hair? That was the 70's Dr. Who. Is "Hitchikers Guide to the Universe" related to the Dr. Who series? Loved Dr. Who!

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  25. Nice combination."Weeping as it sows.' I love that line!

    ps.....I like the name of your blog...!!

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