Regeneration
In the steamy water
of the iron tub,
the drain lever strains at me with weak,
Phillips screw eyes.
In the steamy water
of the iron tub,
the drain lever strains at me with weak,
Phillips screw eyes.
I cover them with my feet.
.
.
No empathy for cowardice,
I am Leucothea!
I am Leucothea!
An atlas of bubbles before me,
the Americas emerge and split.
Swirling storms circle the Atlantic.
the Americas emerge and split.
Swirling storms circle the Atlantic.
.
Floating foam fuses and multiplies
like the inception of life.
Masses, past and present,
embrace their fate as
Floating foam fuses and multiplies
like the inception of life.
Masses, past and present,
embrace their fate as
.
my head dips under the oceans.
I emerge, baptized to another day.
my head dips under the oceans.
I emerge, baptized to another day.
.
.
Willow
.
.
Posting my own poetry is a tad intimidating, but it is National Poetry
Month, after all. I'm not an experienced poet and welcome any
corrective criticism from some of you more seasoned writers out
there. Just don't make me cry.
.
photo google images
I'm blown away. I always thought you had poetry in you. Now you show you do. Please post more. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteGrandpa, thank you! Coming from a seasoned poet, such as yourself, this is a great compliment, indeed.
ReplyDelete*love* the idea of being baptized to another day....love that.
ReplyDeletePoetry is successful if it captures our sense of fancy, our sense of surprise and resonance. This did indeed. Bravo.
I think you did good. I enjoyed it and I am sure your fans will too.
ReplyDeleteWow,I just love it!Powerful!
ReplyDelete"Tubs are white
ReplyDeletewell most of them are,
I love to soak in white bubbles
and dream of things that are far.
But now I don't know
I'm afraid of those screws
You got me thinking, do they see me and you?"
My contribution to poetry month!
I loved your poem. You should write more poetry, Willow.
Did I make two posts? Please delete one. Silly me.
ReplyDeleteFabulous...The gloves are off...go get 'em Willow! You're a champ!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful poem Willow, truly a work of art!
ReplyDeleteWillow, this is beautiful and poignant. You've used imagery that has never appeared in poetry before, Phillips screw eyes, and you took us back to time immemorial, to the inception of life and the formation of our planet.
ReplyDeleteThe baptism added yet another metaphor.
Well done! I have to call upon you to recite these more often, you shy one!
I would love to help make you cry tears of joy and happiness. I cannot do without your grace, you could never disappoint. Thank you so much. Roses and blue things, I contribute too.
ReplyDeleteI'll never look at a bubble-bath the same ever again!
ReplyDeleteI like the photo, too. It says "Ahhhhhhh!" and sets the mood, getting you ready to read the poem. Good work!
Brilliant! A new poet is birthed from the tides. This comes from reading so much poetry - it eventually rubs off and so it has with you (although, I suspect it was in you all along.)
ReplyDeleteBrava, I say. Brava!
Kat
An awful lot of great stuff going on in that bathtub! I'm going to have to stop taking showers..no diving into primal waters there!
ReplyDeleteI'm liking...the continents split and divide. You know how things appear distorted in water, at least that's my interpretation.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed it...please post more.
I like...the continents split and divide. You know how things look distorted in water--at least that's my interpretation--and it made me smile.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed it.
You did awesomely! WOW!
ReplyDeleteyour very creative and evocative poem is no surprise to me at all. as a lover of words and with a creative sensitivity, you are well equipped to be a great poet.
ReplyDeleteon a more humorous note, are those YOUR toes? hee hee and did you get your camera fixed?
take care!
julie
Wonderful, the last line with the words, "baptized to another day" really stuck with me too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeletePerfect words... I saw the bubbles moving like forming continents and oceans and yes, I felt the baptismal waters and the promise of a new day...if you have tears, I hope they are because of a poem well written.
ReplyDeleteWell what more can I add Willow. A lovley bit of inspiratin to start my day. I was just checking my Email on the way to the shower... but it somehow dosn't seem as apealing...think I'll fill the Tub!!! P.S I agree with Grand Pa and Lynn
ReplyDeleteKeep it coming
lovely!
ReplyDeleteI looooved it, especially how you ended it, I was so there visually (I'm a visual person and love writing that makes me see) I'm not a writer, but my husband is a literature teacher so I read it to him, he liked it as well
ReplyDeletevery nice Willow
(I like it better than the poetry you post from other poets :) )
I am new here and have enjoyed my visits so far.
ReplyDeleteReally loved this poem it was beautiful.
It's like a child playing in the tub! :D
ReplyDeletei agree i loved the baptized to another day. beautiful touching line.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was awesome! Now I want a bath...
ReplyDeleteI liked that a lot. Would love to see more.
ReplyDeleteHi! Willow,
ReplyDeleteWhat a very nice! and apropos poem for Theme Thursday. Regeneration = rebirth, revival and rejuvenation.
Tks, for sharings!
Deedee ;-D
Dance as though no one is watching; sing as though no one is listening; write as though no one is reading.
ReplyDeleteOnly by keeping this in mind do I ever manage to post a crumb or two of my own alleged poetry over on my blog. It's intimidating -- but Willow, you have nothing to worry about -- beautifully done!
great words...makes me want to go take a bath. agree with Leslie on the baptism line as well...like having new skin stepping out of a hot bath....
ReplyDeleteThis is very good Willow, you should share more often.
ReplyDeleteWillow, I'm so excited. This is a super poem. I see exactly what you mean, it's beautiful and not in the least strained.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the Frida painting in her tub.
Willow, I'm so excited. This is a super poem. I see exactly what you mean, it's beautiful and not in the least strained.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the Frida painting in her tub.
Baptism...feet...I liked it.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I had to read it three times. I really liked twi kines "Phillips screw eyes"....and "I, emerge, baptized"....
ReplyDeleteGood work, please share more of your poems.
no reason to be intimidated....
ReplyDeleteabsolutely transcendent!
(even if I had to google leucothea)- bless wikipedia the portal of all knowledge...somehow my recollection of greek myths missed the amazing ms l....
okay, off to draw a bath....
This is simply wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI clicked over from Derrick's Melrose Musings and so glad I did. What a wonderful poem ... the imagery is so vivid ... the ending so strong and full of meaning ... I emerge, baptized to another dayWell done!
ReplyDeleteBravissima, Willow!
ReplyDeleteI hope this is the first in a long series of your own poetry.
Love the photo, itself very poetic.
Makes me want to jump into the bathtub instead of into the day's work. ;-)
Willow, this is wonderful - I love the simplicity of it...
ReplyDeleteHi Willow, Everybody has said it all. All that is left for me is to say something very classic: WOW!
ReplyDeleteVery evocative. The world in one's tub... cleansing continents swirling down the drain. It takes guts to expose oneself in writing - particularly in poetry. Your vulnerability and your words are touching and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAre those your tootsies covering the Phillip screw eyes? Well done, Willow.
ReplyDeleteYou won't get criticism from me - constructive or otherwise. I'm awed. Loved your imagery and it describes how a good soak is so much more than that.
ReplyDeleteYour a poet, and you didn't know it!
ReplyDeleteI always saw you as a poet and musician, don't ask me why. A cello player perhaps. And yes, a poet. And a muse. Which is a lethal combination.
ReplyDeleteBack to the poem and it is a very visual work and that's why I love it. Because water is my element, my sign and my source, our source. As humans, we come from water, even in our mums' bellies, we're surrounded by liquid. I loved your poem. Next time, get rid of the apologetic sentence. You don't need it at all. Just post the poem and put willow at the bottom. That's enough.
Many, many thanks.
Greetings from London.
Well done Willowy One...your poem works on a different level each time I read it.
ReplyDeleteI love your use of bubbles as metaphor.
Your poetic light is no longer hid under a bushel....
Hello Willow,
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about those tootsies too!
It is a wonderful poem, full of imagery. The baptismal line has captured everyone! You must do more.
Clever girl - wonderful words. xv
ReplyDeleteBravo! More please!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great, Willow--I love the image, especially, of the screw "eyes" staring at you in your private moment.
ReplyDeleteYou have poetry coursing through your veins and those 10 little piggies are cute. What a way to depict your soapy baptism.
ReplyDeleteI'm with the others who've encouraged you to write (& post) more poems. There's a lot to like here-- the Phillips screw eyes, the Americas splitting & the ending is just grand.
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about poetry, but those are very cute toes.
ReplyDeletewonderful willow! and cUte tootsies too! :D -tracie
ReplyDeleteWonderful imagery - I am a bather and I visualzed the whole experience .......more please.
ReplyDeleteI love your words, Willow! Really nice! And, as allways, a great image to go with.
ReplyDeleteBeing a proud citizen of the lands of bubbles & scent. Baptized often and with relish I found this poem to be amazing and beautiful. xo S & les Gang
ReplyDeleteLovely words .. cute toes (are they your's too?)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on POTD!
Wonderful. Reminds me that I have not taken a bath in a long time. (Don't worry, I did have a shower yesterday!)
ReplyDeleteHope to see more of your poems!
You are very brave.
ReplyDeleteAs I started to read, I thought this is her own
Bravo!
An excellent poem transmuting the mundane (bath) into art.
Think Bonnard.
Taking the ordinary and making it extra -ordinary is what artists do.
Well done.
Wondeful piece, I think the same about bubbles in the tub, little islands.
ReplyDeletePost whatever you write and enjoy, don't worry about what others will think, or what they think needs correcting. What matters is what you feel and enjoy and express.
:)
You couldn't prove it by me! Not knowing the first thing about real poetry, I found it enchanting and powerful.
ReplyDeleteYou go girl!
I loved this poem. Do you have more cause I would love to read them!?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations :)
Happy TT
xoxo
It's beautiful! Innocent and wise simultaneously. Love it. No criticism. : D
ReplyDeleteI love the imagery of this poem! I've stared a few times at those weak Phillips screw eyes and covered them with my feet too....
ReplyDeleteI hope you post more of your own poetry...
How beautifully you paint a picture with your words - the atlas of bubbles with its stormy seas which you escape from momentarily as you dive deep into silent blue and emerge refreshed. I'm awed by your gift, Willow, with this lyrical, layered and image rich poem as well as all the other posts you have shared with us on this most wondrous of blogs.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a magazine, I'd publish your poem! Great. I'm coming back to reread it. I was waiting to see who the poet was, so I could hunt for her/his books.
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you what, I like it very much! Great image to go with.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful poem so I won't make you cry. Is that your photo? I love it.
ReplyDeleteYour poem is beautiful...never thought of the drain having eyes, but you are very true.
ReplyDelete"Corrective criticism?" Who would dare?!?
ReplyDeleteI, too, loved the "Phillips screw eyes" phrase. Henceforth, having no exhibitionist tendencies, I'll stick to showers rather than tub baths.
Goodness, willow - is there nothing you can't do? I'm not being sarcastic - you just seem so accomplished, erudite and creative -and you are very pretty. Some folks have it all, I guess.
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely.
Very nice to see some original stuff from you. And if it means anything coming from a no-talent hack, I liked it mucho much.
ReplyDeleteIt is magical. I look forward to more of your poetry. Peace.
ReplyDeleteWillow, your poem is beautiful! I took some prosody courses when I got my Master's degree, and it really makes you appreciate the difficulty and complexity of poetry when you have a go at it yourself. I love the alliterative quality of the lines and strong metaphors and images. Well done!
ReplyDeleteWillow! This is a wonderful poem! Glad I got the time to read it( and that the 'net connection stayed up ). You should do more, yes, yes! I'll return anon, to catch up!
ReplyDeleteWillow - it's wonderful! I like all of the different water imagery -- particularly "baptized to another day." Isn't it true that water renews us?
ReplyDeleteI love that photo, too.
Lovely poem and great photo to go with it. Glad you shared.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely, Willow! I love the baptismal line too! More please!
ReplyDeleteI do like a bath. I just wish that I could get one these days without a toddler and a baby muscling in on the action!
ReplyDeletelove that photo! sometimes a photograph screams! this is great.
ReplyDeletenikonsniper
Willow--I cannot live without my bathtub...my wonderful clawfoot bathtub! Resting in there each and every day is like a renewal for me and for my soul. It has helped me get through some very difficult times in my life. I love the fact that we are kindred spirits on this level. I wrote a poem years ago when my daughter was having open heart surgery. I will post it on my blog for you to read. I never thought about those "screw eyes" though! Love the photo!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a poet, but I loved it! Also the photo, it just added to it. Don't be shy about posting anything, it's your blog. :-) I love this quote by Henry van Dyke....Use what talents you possess..the woods would be very silent if no bird sang there except those that sang the best.
ReplyDeleteAnd your lilac story made me laugh out loud.
Willow, I loved it, you have a lovely way with imagery and words! And, I LOVE your new header.
ReplyDeleteEncore, Willow, encore!!!
ReplyDeleteHey, all, thank you SO much for all your kind, kind words of encouragement! I feel very inspired. Now it will not feel quite so scary to post more of my poems. :^)
ReplyDeleteActually, Willow, I think it's excellent poetry. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteAs I was scrolling down I was waiting for you to post the author as you usually do. And it was you, that was such a pleasant surprise. You described how a bath makes one feel so well.
ReplyDeleteI really do hope you write many more poems. You have a talent with words and you have now shown us that you have a talent with poetry.
Thank you so much for letting us peek at another side of you.
God bless.
From one Libra (who too has trouble posting rhymes) to another, you have taken the bath into a verbal vortex of poetic excitement. I look forward to reading more of yours.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem! Makes me want to go and jump into a bubble bath right now!
ReplyDeleteLovely poem, makes me long for a bath.
ReplyDeleteLovely, just lovely! Splish, splash, my friend!!!!
ReplyDeleteNow if I could just find a claw footed tub to add to my new bathroom next year....
:) Sarah
I love the poem! And the photo of the toes is just yummy. I have longed for a claw foot tub for most of my adult life. A wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteI liked the straining drain lever bit especially.
ReplyDeleteI so, so wish I had a huge tub with spa jets and bubbles and candles . .ad continents and maelstrums .you made me want it!
ReplyDeleteWillow,
ReplyDeleteI do so know the feel of that baptism of water you express so beautifully. You have a keen eye for capturing moments with your words. This poem is calling out to all the others you have in you and saying...please come out and join me! I think you should put that bouquet of pencils on top of your desk to use and touches with more of these poems :)
xox
Isabel
Bravo to you, Willow! So difficult to put yourself out there...I applaud you wholeheartedly. I really don't know anything about poetry...it's always been a bit of a struggle for me. Well done!
ReplyDeleteCatherine
Oh, elle est rigolote, cette photo !
ReplyDeleteFarniente, repos, paresse, c'est agréable de ne rien faire !
Kisses from France,
Tatieva
Well, I've come inn at the tail end - or perhaps not. What onearth could you want me to say? The number of comments says it all. It's a wow! For what it's worth, I think it a very professional job. You've handled what many would consider a slight subject with due seriousness and, I might say, great aplomb. I don't suppose you were going to, but just in case you were thinking of it, don't change a word. Hearty congratulations. I agree with the grandpa. Let's have more.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you decided to publish your own poem...this is absolutely beautiful...The photograph that goes with it is perfect too!
ReplyDeleteYou're so humble! This poem is wonderful! ~Lori
ReplyDeleteDear Willow...by now I have read your poem many times...each time I want to retreat to the bathtub, and just recite your closing lines...you have described what the Colonel and I often try to express about the great essence and luxury of bathing...what is does for body, mind, and soul...
ReplyDeleteNo wonder we live in an era when the bathrooms are often as large as a bedroom or a family room...
I may want to do this debut poem up and frame it for the daily baptisms here! Your poem is true to the invention of something seemingly common being elevated to something completely NEW!
Oh yes...and for this post....
The TOES have it!!
Wow! Not only am I impressed by the poem, I am in awe of 105 comments on your post. Mine should be 106 unless someone else comments while I'm writing. You could win money writing poetry of this caliber. Don't sell yourself short. I am also mesmerized by your new "Daughter of Chuckie" profile pic. Have a great second half. Pappy
ReplyDeleteYou've inspired me to take a bath instead of a shower next time. I liked it. Who knew a tub of water could be a microcosmic earth.
ReplyDelete