Sunday, July 1, 2012

Papoose

R.A.D. Stainforth's beautifully poignant recitation...


Clouds play out,
time-lapsed and furious,
above a pulsing angiogram –
the tree of life.

There is no canoe.

Only the river holds me,
colicky, in her arms, 
gentle enough to keep my face
above the water.

Papoose at her mercy.

I float, unable to resist the current,
listen closely 
to her ancient lullaby.

She is my mother.
I don't need to know why.


tk/ July 2012


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49 comments:

  1. Merisi in ViennaSun Jul 01, 07:37:00 AM

    Beautiful, Tess,
    sweet surrender to fate!

    Off topic:
    I started missing you. For some reason, people disappear from my Bloglist, you among them. Has this happened to you and anyone else, by chance? I have not touched or changed anything. Mysterious.

    A wonderful Sunday to you,
    Merisi

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  2. Brian MillerSun Jul 01, 08:19:00 AM

    lovely language tess...the angiogram....papoose...colicky....really builds the scene well....best sometimes just to go with the flow...

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  3. R. Burnett BakerSun Jul 01, 08:27:00 AM

    The last line is the embodiment of love.

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  4. RebeccaSun Jul 01, 08:50:00 AM

    i love this that last line says it all
    She is my mother.
    I don't need to know why.
    brilliant

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  5. brenda wSun Jul 01, 09:11:00 AM

    Oh Tess, this is gorgeous. One lush dive into everything we already are....

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  6. JANUSun Jul 01, 09:20:00 AM

    Sweet! Surrendering to the flow of life...

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  7. SuzSun Jul 01, 09:24:00 AM

    perfect

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  8. HannahSun Jul 01, 09:37:00 AM

    Only the river holds me,
    colicky, in her arms,
    gentle enough to keep my face
    above the water.


    I love this portion so much!!

    This is such a great write!! The image in words for sure, Tess!!

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  9. DaydreamertooSun Jul 01, 09:44:00 AM

    Oh, I love all of this.
    The last two lines are killers.
    'She is my mother. I don't need to know why'
    Stunning!

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  10. Dick JonesSun Jul 01, 10:11:00 AM

    Out of the water at the beginning of time and back into it by choice now! Very fine, this one, Tess!

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  11. Dick JonesSun Jul 01, 10:12:00 AM

    Sorry, Tess, 'Reubs' is me, Dick. My son has hijacked my account!

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    Replies
    1. Tess KincaidSun Jul 01, 10:58:00 AM

      Thanks, Dick...I would have been wondering about Reubs...

      Delete
  12. Dana DampierSun Jul 01, 10:42:00 AM

    A beautiful image of the water holding her like she's nature's child.

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  13. HelenSun Jul 01, 11:34:00 AM

    Papoose ... both the poem and Mr. Stainforth's intense recitation ~ yes, poignant is the perfect adjective!

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  14. Other MarySun Jul 01, 11:45:00 AM

    Lovely, and I too especially like your closing lines.

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  15. UnknownSun Jul 01, 12:41:00 PM

    This is a beautifully etched homage to your roots and to family/mother love. Your talent, Ms. Wordsmith shines and sparkles here! =D

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  16. Laurie KolpSun Jul 01, 01:31:00 PM

    This is amazing, Tess... I especially like:

    Only the river holds me,
    colicky, in her arms,
    gentle enough to keep my face
    above the water.

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  17. AnonymousSun Jul 01, 01:38:00 PM

    Very well done. Love the photo, too!

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  18. izzySun Jul 01, 02:47:00 PM

    A colicky river- hmm, interesting! thanks-

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  19. BerowneSun Jul 01, 03:01:00 PM

    Beautiful, and quite moving...

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  20. KarenSun Jul 01, 03:02:00 PM

    A beautiful write!

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  21. rosemary mintSun Jul 01, 03:47:00 PM

    "gentle enough to keep my face
    above the water"

    Sometimes that's all we can hope for. :) Lovely poetry, symbolism, and philosophy, Tess.

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  22. AnonymousSun Jul 01, 04:16:00 PM

    Lovely take on painting. Reminds me a bit of Moonrise KIng - or whatever that new movie is - I actually saw it last night, and think of those canoes - she looks very Native American here - what odd juxtapositions the world gives us. k.

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    Replies
    1. Tess KincaidSun Jul 01, 04:24:00 PM

      K, I'm 1/16 Cherokee, so I hearken to my roots here.

      Delete
  23. Gemma WisemanSun Jul 01, 05:20:00 PM

    "Papoose" veils the old Ophelia mystery with a sense of Indian connection - still a young child returning to a mother's arms! Very moving!

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  24. Stafford RaySun Jul 01, 06:00:00 PM

    "I don't need to know why" should be the first fact we learn. You set this up so well Tess, as you do!

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  25. kaykualaSun Jul 01, 09:26:00 PM

    above a pulsing angiogram –
    the tree of life.
    There is no canoe.

    Only the river holds me,
    colicky, in her arms,
    gentle enough to keep my face
    above the water.

    I've been through this, Tess! Had an angiogram done! Plainly just as you described.'The tree of life', the image of the dye and the warmth as it moved. Your were aware 'as the river...face above water' and awake. Beautiful take1

    Hank

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  26. MargaretSun Jul 01, 11:11:00 PM

    Wordpainter, indeed. Just a lovely recitation by RAD Stainforth!

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    Replies
    1. Tess KincaidSun Jul 01, 11:20:00 PM

      Thanks Margaret...and I agree...Stainforth does an exceptional job here...oh you left your comment at 11:11...my lucky numbers!

      Delete
  27. PranitaMon Jul 02, 02:19:00 AM

    The last two lines nailed it for me! Lovely poem... :)
    Bloom in the moonshine!

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  28. hyperCRYPTICalMon Jul 02, 04:00:00 AM

    Wonderful words.

    Anna :o]

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  29. LynMon Jul 02, 08:25:00 AM

    Those of us who can take that journey...how lucky we are..beautifully done.

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  30. Leslie Jane MoranMon Jul 02, 09:53:00 AM

    Particularly apt as we celebrate Canada's birthday this weekend. 145 years and so related to our native population. This piece transcends borders and imagination.

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  31. Grandmother MaryMon Jul 02, 11:04:00 AM

    I didn't get the connection between the poem and the painting at first and read this as the child in utero speaking to her mother. Either way it's beautifully crafted and the last two lines are gorgeous.

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  32. HelenaMon Jul 02, 02:13:00 PM

    I was quite moved by this, Tess, had a beautiful flow to it.

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  33. robkistnerMon Jul 02, 04:04:00 PM

    ...this one really worked for me, quite well done Tess...

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  34. Susan AndersonMon Jul 02, 04:32:00 PM

    Love this:

    Only the river holds me,
    colicky, in her arms,
    gentle enough to keep my face
    above the water.

    What a great image.

    =)

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  35. Pat TillettMon Jul 02, 06:28:00 PM

    Very nice. Totally loved the closing...

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  36. Liz Rice-SosneMon Jul 02, 10:06:00 PM

    This is so very poignant. I always love seeing the different take, the different view that poets here take on your prompts.


    My Magpie Tales is at my Crows Fete blog at: http://crowsfete.blogspot.com/2012/07/magpie-tales-124.html

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  37. zognrikTue Jul 03, 12:16:00 AM

    i like the papoose. that was very original

    <a href="http://zongrik.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/where-are-the-koi/>where are the koi</a>

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  38. LolamouseTue Jul 03, 10:38:00 AM

    Never would have thought of this for the picture, but I love where you went with it! So beautiful. I felt like I was floating on gentle swells as I read it.

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  39. Donna B.Tue Jul 03, 04:15:00 PM

    What a beautiful way to express a heart procedure or attack....beautiful. Really enjoyed this weeks photo challenge. Thank you...I have been a busy woman lately....

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  40. Gerry SnapeWed Jul 04, 08:20:00 AM

    ..." her ancient lullaby" that's good! thankyou

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  41. Steven CainWed Jul 04, 08:25:00 PM

    I've never been colicky, but I've been in that river's arms, too feverish to even be afraid. Moms are pure magic. Beautiful picture.

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  42. Silent Otto Thu Jul 05, 05:18:00 AM

    Very soft, very beautiful ! .

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  43. Tumblewords:Thu Jul 05, 01:23:00 PM

    Age-old tale in a flowing current style. Lovely!

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  44. my heart's love songsSat Jul 07, 05:34:00 AM

    really lovely!
    ♥

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  45. Tess KincaidSat Jul 07, 10:12:00 AM

    Thank you for your lovely comments...I have the best readers in the blogosphere...I really do...and thank you R.A.D. for this gorgeous reading...

    ReplyDelete

Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)

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