Sunday, February 17, 2013

"A million winters ago" (poem)

‘twas a million places
a million cries
and a million winters
ago
in some ex-ballerina’s
apartment with eyes
in a city bewildered
by snow

‘twas the time that was perched
tween the land and the skies
in a basket of wonder
and willow
tween the yesterday’s hurts
and tomorrow’s goodbyes
rose petals of dawn
on the pillow

‘twas the world that was simple
it spelled you and I
in the hand of a happy
beginner
we would dance on the ceiling
(I don’t recall why)
and upset so the ex-
ballerina

when we left in a hurry
forgetting to pack
our mem’ries
she roused her ire
she arranged our wings
in a neat sky-high stack
pirouetted
and set them on fire


Live for the Love of it,
The Happy Amateur

 dVerse  is paying tribute to Leonard Cohen

14 comments:

  1. nice...i like this much...it spelled you and I
    in the hand of a happy
    beginner..ha there i a bit of magic in that...that second stanza, wow...seriously love the voice you use in this...chalk it up to one i wish i'd written.

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    1. Thank you, Brian, that's very nice of you to say that :-)

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  2. Wow... the last stanza forgetting to pack
    our mem’ries... very moving.

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  3. This is wonderfully "Cohen-ish." Sounds very much like one of his songs. Nice!!

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    1. Really? Thank you, this is a wonderful compliment, Mary :-)

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  4. Must be something wrong with me. i like the image of the stack of wings on fire. I think Cohen would understand :-)

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  5. The wings stanza caught my attention. While we escape, can we ever return? And if so perhaps like the Phoenix and be born into something new and wonderful.

    Thanks for your visit. While most of what I write is fiction...The Tomboy Trial was actually true. I was the one who said no. And now I am very content after over 30 years with my sweet hubby. :)

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    1. I figured, Jules, it was you :-) but played it safe using the impersonal "girl." Good for you, girl! Stay happy.

      Nice seeing you here.

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  6. after the happy beginnings "forgetting to pack
    our mem’ries" feels so sad... as does this:

    "tween the yesterday’s hurts
    and tomorrow’s goodbyes
    rose petals of dawn
    on the pillow"

    a beautiful poem, it speaks to me

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    1. Thank you very much for visiting me and for the comment.

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  7. Wonderful! I adore this stanza, and think Leonard Cohen would be proud of you (I've seen him in concert twice and love him, love him, love him):
    ‘twas the time that was perched
    tween the land and the skies
    in a basket of wonder
    and willow
    tween the yesterday’s hurts
    and tomorrow’s goodbyes
    rose petals of dawn
    on the pillow

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    Replies
    1. I do relate to "love him, love him, love him" :-)
      Thank you, Lydia.

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