darkness into light
not death, but transformation
life’s circle complete
Bending light and shadow
elevated to sanguine plateau
closing old for new;
over medial plains, I pass.
Mourn not this loss—
I spread these eager wings,
no longer constrained;
girded in peace, I fly!
© Ginny Brannan
Image: Waking, Walking, Singing, in the Next Dimension, Morris Graves, 1979
Written for The Mag #171. Image provided by Tess Kincaid. She provides the image, we the story.
Sharing at d'Verse Poets Pub Open Link Night Week #99.
Sharing at d'Verse Poets Pub Open Link Night Week #99.
like the freedom found...and light to dark to light def is the flow of life...mourn not, fly on...smiles
ReplyDeleteCircling into renewal - This is lovely and something I believe myself.
ReplyDeleteYour words are encouraging... a wonderful aspect of death you have presented here.
ReplyDeleteOh Ginny, this is a beautiful expression of a hopeful message. Such grace in you reading of the image. I really like the lines:
ReplyDelete...
closing old for new;
over medial plains, I pass.
A serene and spiritual piece that brought me a great calm, Gin. Lovely. And that illustration is wonderful. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the transformation, not the loss but the opportunity to fly ~
ReplyDeleteThis speaks so eloquently of renewal to me----beautiful write!
ReplyDeleteGirded in peace; I like that! Wonderful write, Ginny!
ReplyDeleteI read this as a tribute to someone you cared about so much--a beautiful reflection on our transition to whatever is ahead of us. The circle of life!
ReplyDeleteYou captured the image beautifully! (My son has a poem of the same title - have always loved it) I s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e-d with this Magpie! I see you didn't rhyme quite as much with this one, so you must have struggled too. BUT, I still love it.
ReplyDeleteClosing old for new - I see it dedicated to Lucine. It is a very sweet write.
Lucine is a sweet little old lady at the nursing home I work at. At the moment she is balancing the brink between this world and the next. I stopped in Saturday to see her surrounded by her lovely family, and came in Monday to find she is still holding on. For some reason the Magpie image prompted not the balancing, but the passing, I like to believe when we pass, that it should be a celebration. That our energy, our essence has shed this earthly shell, no more pain, no more dependency, just peace and freedom to fly at last.
DeleteBy the way my friend, though I am quite fond of rhyme and structured poem, I do at times write free verse! If you look closely though, each of these has its own format-- the top one a haiku, the bottom an acrostic.
I am learning all these forms (very slowly). I didn't even notice the title down the side of the page!! That's how smoooothly you accomplished this poem. "shed our earthly shell"... yes, that is the way it should be.
DeleteLove the idea of spreading one's wings and flying!! So nice that you dedicated it to someone you care about.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful elegy. Pastoral in poetic terms. And I love the fact you chose to keep it short. To length it would deprived it of it potency. Wonderful offering this week Ginny my friend.
ReplyDeleteGirded in peace - that's a beautiful idea and would be wonderful to experience.
ReplyDeleteoh my....love the last 3 lines- so much said so simply and eloquently.
ReplyDeleteThe line about the "sanguine plateau" resonated most deeply within me.
ReplyDeleteYes, peace and liberation. It's a positive message poised (like the lady you speak of) on the brink.. you keep it from falling into a too-easy platitude. Nicely judged Ginny :)
ReplyDeleteGinny, this is beautiful poetry ... celebrating life on Earth is how we should be paying tribute .. before ~ and after ~ they have passed.
ReplyDelete"Girded in peace" ... exactly how I felt after reading your lovely poem. It also has a cadence when you read it out loud, as I just did, which is like chant. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI believe I can fly...
ReplyDeleteHopeful and inspiring. I love this, Ginny.
ReplyDeleteThis is inspiring and so beautiful =)
ReplyDeleteI still love it!
ReplyDelete