For those who remain stood
With the slope of their back
To a creamblooded wave,
The pickforks and toothpicks
To the feet and the toes,
Observant as they needle
The maws of scarlet crabs,
And to the right, in the firm
Of an April frost
Comes a snuff of italic rain,
A blackwhite chipped grey
To the nose of a dog yet swift,
The batter of purple-bruised berries
Under a calamity of wet,
They learn to do rhythm
In the mouth with a caracal pinch,
Unravelling soured pieces
A calla flower bursts in the throat,
Stops, then blooms on the crest
Of your limbic rose tongue,
Stopped, before the vaccine words
Blew short an incognito, ochreous dandelion,
She who tips her lost children to the wind
Against flat-palmed duns in the tide,
And you, this day,
Black shoes beached
Through a tumult of sand,
Imprinted on the mould
Of a sugar tipped hill,
The water, air, a flurry of green-cud grass,
A pale of flowers to the ears,
Poor motes sot wild in the breast,
So many of us, together.
Β© Eve Redwater 2012
[It’s been raining all day today, I love it! It helped me write this for Dverse~]
Wow I love this! I’m so happy I found your blog! π
Thank you! So glad you found me too, thank you for reading! π x
It sounds to me like you made the most out of a wet situation. You have a way of engaging the senses and expressing them!
Hi Rich! Yes, I really love the rain to be honest. Since I woke up in the early hours, it rained pretty much all day! It made the air smell great. I can’t complain about the rain, it’s some sort of comfort to me. π x
I am with you 100% on that. After our weather last year, I’m come to appreciate rain even more.
Here in North Texas, we had the worst single year in history. Combine that with the hottest summer and it’s easy to appreciate rain and precipitation in most any form. π
Wow, I can scarcely imagine…
It’s still raining today since morning, really heavy stuff too!
We had record rainfall in March so all is good and all is well, LOL. π
Very interesting – my favorite image is the italic rain–which seems exactly right to me. And green-cud grass. I admit that much here is beyond me, I’m not sure I’m following your symbols, but I do have that sense of spring and the shake of water everywhere. It is very very dry this year this side of the pond. k.
Hello Karin! Thank you for reading. π
I’m really happy that you picked up on the “italic rain” part – I have a few poets and nature to thank as inspiration for that! Water everywhere is spot on, too; you got the core images I wanted to get across here, which makes me happy! x
Enjoyed the combination of the poem’s imagery with grey and hopeful photograph (or vice versus), Sally
Many thanks Sally! It was a really spontaneous shot, I edited it to make it look a bit better. π I wish I had an eye for photography like you have! x
so beautiful!
Thank you! It means a lot to me that you continue to visit! π
Fascinating imagery…just kept on going… love the “italic rain”
Hello Anna, thank you for reading & commenting. I’m glad that you like it! π
Cool photo too.
Cheers Allen, appreciate it!
To me something of Ireland comes through in this. That probably sounds weird to say, but it’s the feel. The Irish and descendants are super-poetic I think.
tipping lost children to the wind, pretty cool.
and a 3rd vote now for the italic rain.
Always great to read poetry that says a lot, thanks.
(That’s not my read e-mail addy, since WordPress is doing that rejection thing.)
Thank you Jannie! Sorry about the wordpress rejection… seems a lot of people are having trouble nowadays, there’s no end of complaints on the forums.
As for the Irish feel, that’s really great! I’ve not visited yet, but I have family with links there; I plan to go one day and embrace the green! (and a lot of rain, apparently!)
i travel through rainy grays and alongside living things with guidance of your potent imagery.
Wow, Jane, thank you! This comment is so lovely I just had to smile. π
oh, i like your update through I am not exactly sure what you did. it seems you changed some parts in the early stanzas. it is clean and clear, quite lovely.
I didn’t actually make that update, Jane. I woke up and saw it on the blog just now. Not sure what’s going on. Hopefully nothing bad.
[Update: checked it out on the forums, turns out it might be a bug. Sorry for the confusion! Looks like an electronic ghost is posting things without my permission!]
“italic rain” = majuscule FUN for you! Love this, as it has a seemingly very ‘old’ voice.
BTW, the photo is marvelous!
Hehe, thank you for that!
Glad you like the photograph, too – turned out pretty once I edited it. π
Eve what I find so pleasing about this poem is the coupling of images and words. Your choices are almost always surprising and burst with interest as I read. For example: cream blooded wave, italic rain, limbic rose, vaccine words, even the coupling of pale flowers to the ears is strange and catching. One image jumps to the next, but there is a strangeness to the transitions, to the shifts that happen as I read…like the way rain falls to the earth and then flows into everything…this coupling of words and images reminds me of the “everything” and the “rain” and the “man” in the title.
Hi Anna,
I’m so glad that you like some of the images I’ve put in here, and that they keep you interested… that’s high praise enough, thank you very much! π
i think most have hit on the italic rain, but it is def a fav of mine as well eve…always enjoy your flow and creativity when it comes to marrying imagery…well done…
Yes, it seems that everyone’s picked that out! It makes me so happy. π Thank you for always reading my posts!
So richly visual, and rhythm is great…could be a song. Like it much!
Hello Jackie, thank you!
A song might be cool, but I think I’ll save you from my singing voice! π x
See, this is genius: “A snuff of italic rain”. Or this: “A calamity of wet”. Or this: “A tumult of sand”. Your use of language is as expert as anything I’ve seen. Bravo.
Hi Sam, this really means a lot to me… I love your work, and for you to say something like this makes me so happy! Thank you!
So good,Eve! As always π
Thank you, really! π
Always such depth, such vivid imagery. Everything about this is gorgeous.
I can’t thank you enough Bren! Have a great day! π
The language you’ve used here is stunning and the feeling I get from reading is even better. Truly, I think I love each line, but this part in particular stands out to me for the imagery:’ And you, this day, black shoes beached through a tumult of sand’- also just love the mood of it. Gorgeous poetry, really.
Emma, thank you so much! Reading your poetry makes me feel good too. π
Fabulous Eve!
Thank you David!
I love italic rain, too… the whole piece is beautiful, Eve.
Cheers Laurie, I really really appreciate it! x
We had italic rain yesterday, I tried to take photos of the rain, but I ended up wet and without a descent photo, but the flowers after the rain looked gorgeous! So many lovely words here, I have to quote the whole poem if I am to show a favorite line! Surely a lot to learn from you and your writing, as it seems perfect to me! Thanks for visiting me! Regards from Athens!
Mmm, rain on flowers looks beautiful doesn’t it? Like little glass beads, so pretty! Thank you for visiting from Athens; I’d love to visit there one day. Regards from a still-soggy England! π x
I absolutely agree with the others. You have a wonderful way of bringing the senses a new feel for your experiences with nature.
Thank you very much Lance! I’m so impressed by your watercolour work – lovely. π
Thanks for this rainy trip through your glorious imagination…
Hi Lindy, thank you! We just had the most massive rain-shower a couple of seconds ago, phew! Still wet here!
Eve, this is such a pure example of the poet using her senses to see what’s there in a new light. You brought me into the rain with you and I enjoyed a respite from the hot weather that’s come upon us in the California desert. Just perfect…should be published.
Victoria, thank you – words can’t explain how wonderful your comment has made me feel! We could probably do with some warmer weather here to be honest… it’s all a bit soggy at the moment. π
You are a master of lyrical imagery, Eve. Like ‘italic rain’ and ‘purple-bruised berries’ and ‘calamity of wet’ and ‘calla flower bursts in the throat’ and so many more! I appreciate them as a fellow writer and reader!
Thank you Diane! Your feedback means the world. π x
This is all that i like…so glad to follow you
Hi David, lovely to meet you – really kind of you to follow me too, thanks so much! Stop by any time. π x
wow- your word linkage is amazing…for me this painted a pciture of winter/spring beach scene- the creamblooded waves- i get that image completely- that kind of winter water- muddy/frothing.red with sand…and the cold sea pin needling at the feet as it washes up- the dune foliage- the bushes- coming to life with birdsong and emerging berries- im probably 5 thousand milkes away- but this was original poetry- so open to interpretation but lyrically profound…loved it…stu mcp π
Mmm, your thoughts and interpretations are spot on Stu! I’m happy that you found that you could interpret it in many ways – perhaps that means that other readers will too. π That’s the biggest compliment you can give me! x
Beautiful “language arts,” as always; thank you!
Thank you Catherine! Your words keep me writing. π x
Good show! I love it.
Many thanks Russell! Hope you’re well. π
great piece! I also love the rain quite often.. very refreshing, like your poem in many places. tercets structure goes down v well with me
Thank you for visiting here Luke! Much appreciated!
Eve, the way you tumble images together is impressive. I won’t repeat what others have said, but this is interesting and fresh. I will note the poem is written in one long sentence, still giving the anatomy of a rain storm as it comes in waves, blows, stops, and changes its character while being what it is. The packing of images forces me to go back and read the poem a couple of times to really start getting an understanding of it, something that I find in poets like Wallace Stevens or John Berryman, although for different reasons. This is good work.
A very lovely poem! Eve you do it so beautifully! It touches the heart and moves the soul! I really love your poems, so today i am nominating you for three bolg awards, The Sunshine Award, The Beautiful Blogger Award, and The Sunshine Award! The sincerity and realness in your poems is always awesome! You are deserving of these awards…keep on bringing it every day…you bring a radiant light to the blog world! Congratulations
Eve, you have an amazing language of your own that I absolutely love! I am only echoing what others have said, but “italic rain” seems to be a winner, along with so many other words and phrases and your imagery is fascinating! xo
Thank you so much Lauren! I’m so glad that image of rain worked for everyone. π x
It’s been raining for days here in the UK too! I love the line ‘a snuff of italic rain’. The imagery and the way you use language is extraordinary.
What do I think? You’re not simple…and that’s a high compliment. I am not naturally poetic, and I think sometimes I’m almost too “left brained” to snap up images. But I read your poetry multiple times, almost like a puzzle I know is there, and I’m just not always that quick! That’s fine with me…I like it that way. And I learn a little along the way from what others share and then I can go back and get even more from it. If I didn’t understand one word picture, I’d read your work for it’s gorgeous lyricism. It is special!I think this was a harder one for me because frankly, as a Southern California native, I don’t really know these images firsthand…but I can imagine! π Debra
Reblogged this on Polly and commented:
A wonderful inspiration for my epistolary poem to The British Weather
what will i comment, they said it all! i love this eve, and I am very much honored to follow a poetess like you π
Hi jymiely, thank you very much for finding me! I’m honoured that you’re honoured! Happy to follow you too, it’s great to meet you. π
Eve x
by the way, let me say, i love your smile.. its kinda contagious π
And thank you! No one’s ever said that to me before, hehe. π x
oh, now you know eheh…:)
Your lines will stay with me … especially in rainy Manchester π Beautiful writing.
Oh, thank you Sue, that’s so lovely of you to say! I’ve been watching some peregrines nesting and taking care of their chicks in Manchester through the RSPB, quite the sight! Hopefully the weather has cleared up for a while. π
Lovely words. Lovely image.
Makes for one great post!
anne
Thank you very much Anne!
Thanks for visting my site today…you left a smile on my face!!!!
Wow! I read it twice. Completely engaging! Fabulous work!
I loved this! Gorgeous at its best! π
Subhan Zein