Is it any wonder?
My mother will tell you the precise hour of day
my sibling fell. Outrageous claim, hearing bone crunch
from miles away. (I rolled my eyes). Now I eat salt-sweet
crow with a side of maternal melodrama.
He didn’t (do they ever) come easy, arrived on pain’s
edge, pushing, cutting, cord and apron strings. So is it
any wonder his experience is mine, our dreams like
spirit lines melded in the night. Both may die hard.
My prayers are biased. I profess a life (submitted)
to (leading) Providence, but leave bread crumbs marking
The Way. Home is this nest of plucked breast feathers.
I would give my life for him. Is it any wonder?
While his father molds a man, I prick my finger, spot
(spill) a shirt with blood, tend to the needed (urgent)
steep compassion in my cup. Stay up, unbolt the door
run to meet him on the road.
NOTE: A special thank you goes out today to Kolembo for speaking into last weeks poetry post in such open and helpful detail. If you have never visited or read Kolembo, you must do so. His work is profoundly real, raw, and affects me each time I read it. Life has taken me away from that particular poem to this new one over the past few days, but I continue to be grateful to those who read and give me such direct and helpful feedback for when I will return to those works in progress. xo LAE
POST SCRIPT to my NOTE: Aforementioned poet friend Kolembo just invited me to link “Is it any wonder” to Open Link Night 48 over at dVerse… an online community of poets, writers, and… well… as I’ve only just walked through the ‘door’ over there… I’m intrigued by who I’ll meet. So, I linked in. Thanks K. Now this is everyone’s invite to pop on over for more poetry if you are so inclined. xo
BUDDY BREATHING 
Came back to see what had happened and look, glorious piece!
So self assured, the images so sharp and yet…I can’t help remembering falling in love as a teenager, and my mum, and my dad, and him….and asking what’s happened since, and am I still in love…and nodding to a certain commitment, falling in love all over again.
It’s so beautiful. It speaks to the child, the childs parents, to the lover, to myself, to time, to wistful longing, to faith, to growing up, to transformation, it speaks to blossoms by the brook on my grandma’s farm.
I was intrigued by the bracketing, wondering about it, but it gallops along and by the time I’m at the last stanza I am amazed by the ‘style’ it give to your piece.
You’ve always had a distinctive voice, and it’s so nice, as a reader, to feel that here, you are so sure of it, that all I have to do, is play within the words…and rush to the top to enjoy it all again.
Marvellous.
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Hello my friend… what a delight to hear from you. The brackets are something I’m playing with… inspiration of amplified bible… a copy of which I’d like very much for an upcoming landmark birthday :) Anyway, to hear what this poem invokes in you… marvelous. It’s a work in progress as well… are poems EVER finished? Thanks as always for you kind and quickening words to me.
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Infact, I am so taken with it (third time re-read) I’m going to book mark it and read again in a couple of days.
Would you link it somewhere?
Try;
http://dversepoets.com/2012/06/05/openlinknight-week-47/
The link should still be up for week 47 but it closes tomorrow I think, in which case, just refresh the page and add your poem URL for week 48.
Infact, if you don’t mind, I’d love to do it for you when they open week 48 (that’s in a couple of days I think) if you let me know.
Good stuff, really.
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I’d be so honoured K.… can’t wait to hear when the time is right to do this… and, yes, if you want to do it for me… certainly, I’d be OK with that. What is your connection with this group? Thank you very very much.
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Hi there!
Glad you logged in, the link actually opens tonight I think. I know a few of the poets on there and I occassionaly link in just to meet people, share my poetry and read theirs.
It a good cafe, their blog is really helpful – not so highbrow that I zone out and not so..ummm…young, that I can’t get meaningful feedback!
I’ll link it and then let you know, the piece is good enough to have a wider audience.
Sending you peace and continued growth, kenny
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Hey, you’re up! I feel badly having hogged all your comments space!
Anyway do go over and leave a message for them, and have an excellent week!
http://dversepoets.com/2012/06/12/open-link-night-week-48/
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Thanks friend. No worries… no hogging :)
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nice…i am glad keeny pointed you toward the pub…this is a wonderful verse….love…Home is this nest of plucked breast feathers.
I would give my life for him. Is it any wonder?
and that whole last stanza as well, father making man but…
great stuff….
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Hi Brian,
Thanks for coming by. I read your poem about your little boy… takes me back. What a treasure to be able to write his life moments down… and that he can read all about it some day. So sweet. Take care and all the best with your poetry.
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Family, is the thing, it is really the only thing. You define the heart of a mother and I know it well. Very fine write!
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Thanks for reading… I know what you mean, the mother’s heart is strong… never expected to feel some of those things… but I think you know what I mean. Take care.
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Very keenly written, intelligent and touching piece. So glad you brought it over to share with us all tonight. That first stanza–so much you don’t understand till you’ve been there, yes? ;_)
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Hi… thanks for your kind words. Very kind. I’m happy to have found dVerse, and look forward to more words to share and read. LAE
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I really enjoyed this, and think your crafting such awareness of yourself as caregiver tending so well to those needs and wants of the Other speak in larger terms to all of us as we tend to (or should) those in our lives, friend or not. This is quite tender and I find it reveals that is real and authentic about childhood and the relationships that shape us for who we are.
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I am glad the tender authenticity stands out… it can be complicated to speak emotionally without ‘dumping’ on readers, so I’m glad this works. Thanks for your kind comments, I look forward to catching up more at dVerse.
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dig this narrative
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You have encouraged me. Thank you.
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I’m glad you posted here. You’re poem is a delightful and honest look at family. Very enjoyable read.
http://charleslmashburn.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/black-bottom-biscuits/
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And I appreciate both your comment and you taking the time to read my work. I hope to see you at dVerse in the future.
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Not an easy read by any means (and I mean that in a good way (poignant and moving) well done and welcome to dVerse!
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I so appreciate you dropping in to read… it’s been a few days since then, but I look forward to visiting your blog and reading your work. dVerse is a great place to meet!
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It really is, such a supportive community of poets. Please do feel free to come and have a rummage around my blog, plenty of poetry to enjoy as well as author interviews and lifestyle features. Look forward to seeing you.
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