For "Mr. Know-it-All" two Friday Flash 55's this week!
Endure
My world often tilts
out of control.
"Endure", whispers Granny
willing me strength.
The next time
I'll grasp hold
of branches bent low
fall, roll
with the hedge apple,
thorns and lances
protective,
swirl, spin
upon Red River's current
or arch through time,
flung skyward
by tree's nimble bow,
and soar
towards a future,
free.
by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, January 26, 2012
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This is my contribution to Imaginary Garden with Real Toad's "Wednesday Challenge" prompt, which is to write a "futuristic" poem. This first brought to mind space ships and aliens, but I decided to try to use my photos from my recent walk to "Tannenbaum Historical Park". The portrait and hanging fruit photos are from two years ago.
I am not sure if I truly did a futuristic poem. Is longing for the future enough to make it so? It seemed to me that poet Nazim Hikmet did this - wrote about a better future. Click on IGWRT's link to read about him.
If you would like to know more about this intriguingly hardy fruit tree (Hedge Apple or Osage Orange), click HERE. This unique fruit is most bountiful in Oklahoma and Texas along the Red River. The Osae used it's strong, pliant branches for bows and the settlers often used it for a "living" fence. It must be carefully maintained (trimmed) or it's fruit and thorns will overtake an area.
* * * * *
The following image and poem I wrote for a Poetry Jam prompt (topic: sensual) and reposted here for Mr. Know-it-All's "Friday Flash 55" - a non-fiction story in 55 words, no more, no less (I will link up Thursday after 8pm)
The Ocean
Sinewy arms, pail laden
I sleepwalk towards the barn.
Nature's morning breath
inhaled,
moistly kissing me awake
from a dream
I'm unwilling to release...
like sandpaper
against my flesh
his memory,
passion aroused,
long buried
endearments
tickle my ear,
needs whispered,
upon my tongue
his saltiness...
a single tear
escapes
joining an ocean of regret.
by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, January 25, 2012
16 comments:
Memories of your grandmother's words are enough to make you endure the future, so yes... it's right on target. I love it, Margaret.
Thanks, Laurie. Just want to make sure I clarify... this is a fiction piece. I have never suffered any kind of abuse - which is what was hinting at here in this poem.
I often imagine different scenarios when I visit historic places. Life doesn't change much, but our ability to react to it does. A child of long ago didn't have much chance to escape abuse... today they do...
These are both wonderful! I don't think I can even say which I like better. I love your pictures as well.
both are beautiful accompanied with the photography fantastic!!!
Beautiful, Margaret. Imagery of the poems so tender and the photos are awesome.
Margaret Bednar...
I have no more superlatives to praise what an artist you are.
You just blow me away...
Put 2 or 3 Osage Oranges in an onion sack and hang them up in your basement by the windows...
And you will NEVER be bothered by Spiders!! They sell them at our Farmers Mkt
Loved your 55
Thanks for another brilliant snippet from your creative mind, and have a Kick Ass Week-End
Awe Shucks, G-Man! :) And now you are my hero! I HATE spiders. I will circle my home with them and put them at every window... (we don't have basements here.
those brain fruits/seeds/whatever they are are pretty cool...we have them at the park near here...that is a lovely pic...and really like the message in your 55 as well...life does get out of control often, it is what we do with it...
Love the second one most, Margaret--very sensuous and also, as one of the points I think was, very concise, with a minimum of words. We have tons of bois d'arc around our area(bodark as its pronounced here)--they can be quite messy in the fall, but back during the dustbowl a lot of farmers planted them as windbreaks, and they're still around--survivors.I've always found their alien looking fruit fascinating, and your photo really shows it off.
We had them in Kansas, as well. I enjoyed both very much! The dreamer in me most appreciated your 2nd 55. I found it eerily personal. Isn't that what poetry is about?
Love you 55 and your photographs. :)
Thanks for stopping by my place and taking the time to comment. Nice to meet you. :)
I think the first is more where I am today- however I also enjoyed the
beginning of the second...Thank you for the luscious photo at the top!
Excellent versifying, both works.
Nature's morning breath is right! That's the ocean I know.
Your Endure photo and 55 are both breathtaking. What a soft touch you have when it counts the most.
Thank you.
Lydia... thank you. I've been trying for that soft touch for a long time. I hope I get it right at times! :)
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