Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Poetry Jam & IGWRT's "Atlantis"

drawing by Bailey Powell
doll by Bailey Powell
Atlantis

Ancient paintings 
and seafaring Greeks
sighted strange creatures 
upon sun dappled rocks.

Medieval manuscripts, 
even Columbus and Hudson, 
told tales banished now to myth

of pale speckled bellies, 
dark blue backs, glowing,
and tails of polished sea glass.

Where now, these creatures
who swam with dolphins
and sang with humpbacks
of the pacific northwest?

Perhaps their kingdom's a city
lost to us, a place we call "myth";

a god's mountain palace
carved for his love,
surrounded by gates,
towers, bridges and moats,

a place the Pillars of Hercules
watched silently slip
into a realm unknown,

followed by every mermaid
and merman pledging allegiance 
to Poseidon and Amphitrite.

Atlantis!  A new civilization
cradled deep inside the Mystic Sea
safe from their predator; mankind.

by Margaret Bednar, 11-27-2012

doll by Bailey Powell
This is for Poetry Jam "make believe"and Imaginary Garden With Real Toad's Sunday Challenge "dolls".  The dolls (this being one of many) have been created by talented high school visual art students.

I watched a video from Animal Planet on mermaids "The Body Found" which is rather interesting and fun. Also, here is an image and information on the Pillars of Hercules.


18 comments:

Mary said...

A fascinating poem, Margaret. I always wondered if the 'myth' of Atlantis was based somehow on some truths civilization has long forgotten or ignored!

ScottlB said...

great story Margaret, maybe one day they will find reason to return.

Susie Clevenger said...

Lovely piece...it is so amazing what these dolls have inspired. I hope they share the poems with their teacher...

Fireblossom said...

Ha! I got that song stuck in your head, didn't I? Fess up! :-)

Brian Miller said...

nice....you have to wonder at the earliest civilizations...how much did we lose....and are they still there watching...atlantis would be a very cool find...it fueled quite a few dreams in my younger years...

Daydreamertoo said...

I think Atlantis existed and due to the pole shift a gazillion years ago or, 26,000 years ago approx, it was lost under the newly formed oceans. It's the only logical explanation for
other ruins they've found under the sea and why mamoths discovered in the Arctic have dry grasses in their mouths and stomachs as if they were in a warmer climate.
Loved this trip into the ancient lands and myth of mermaids though. I'm sure many weird things / half creature half human existed back then too. Maybe, even do now, in secret laboratories, the way scientists like to play 'god' and experiment with all sorts of creatures, and, I would think expendable humans too.
Gosh, you made me go right into a ... 'think' with this..lol
Fabulous poem Margaret. The dolls are brilliant!

Kerry O'Connor said...

Your poem provides a real context for this doll - this is her home.

Mr. Charleston said...

Great poem. The visuals recall a scene from It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, World. The one where Terry Thomas decries America's fascination with bosoms.

Amrit Sinha said...

I loved the way you introduced myth in this piece ... lovely poem !!!

Hannah said...

Perfection!!!! And again I love the drawing that preceded the art!! Great writing as always Margaret!!

Helen said...

This is an epic poem, Margaret!

(These young women are so talented, I'm blown away.)

Sherry Blue Sky said...

What an intriguing poem! "a place we call 'myth'" - history, as legend and fairy tale. Loved your poem. And the interesting discussion that follows.

Peggy said...

I enjoyed this set of musings based on the mermaid doll. So much lost in myth and mystic. One does have to wonder about it all!

Dave King said...

Excellent. I love the idea of The Pillars of Hercules watching it all slip silently away. fantastic image.

LLM Calling said...

Great words. I spent ages looking at this doll for the challenge and kept thinking it must be a mermaids but it spoke to me of a girl emerging from the forest, I love the way at speaks to reach us as individuals

Mary Ann Potter said...

Wow. You wrote an extensive, imaginative poem here. Impressive and very, very well done!!!

Sarav said...

Margaret, I've always been fascinated by Atlantis, it seems like it could have been real. Love how your combined these two prompts--the dolls are wonderful! :-)

Margaret said...

Wow!! All these wonderful comments. Thank you, truly.