Into Seed

OOH delightfully sweet.

A rich breath, held deeply.

This is fantastic; it really provides a completely different view than what is normally seen. Wonderful.

Thanks for posting to The Poets Circle.

And thank you for having me, John.  Are you helping to moderate that group?

Jennifer has asked me to help out on occasion as she has had other demands on her time.

Your wonderful poem is featured at The Surreal Circus.

Thank you for sharing with us there.

Thanks so much for the feature, Adrian.  I'm not sure that my poem qualifies as surreal-- the images are precisely observed-- but I thought the metaphors might squeak by under a loose definition.

Beautiful. Congratulations on your feature.

This is a stunning poem, James. The amount of thought you put into this shows in every detail-- the syllabics, the structure and indentations, the evolution of personality in the seed through each verse, the elegant culmination of the metaphor in a final stanza filled with brilliant phrases... this is one to be proud of. Congratulations on your feature!

I'm pleased to see that you enjoyed the syllabic stanzas, Corinna.  It can be limiting to write this way, but it's also a fun challenge!  I am practicing Marianne Moore's "unconscious fastidiousness."

What a lovely counterpoint my first poetic loves, to the English Romantics.  You speak of dessicated, hardened seeds, but find startling sensuality and renewel at the end.  (I'm wondering if you think of your own children as "next year's poems.")

I second Adrian-- this poem demands to be featured!

Seed is the vibration of the cosmos, forever populating its eternity! Great post here, better than what I usually post. I hope you post at: Songs/Poems/Love Letters and make sure you are a member there, I dig all poetry, adult, soft, granny/grammps-you name it. Peace!

Thanks for the connection, David!  I've applied to join your group, and will certainly send any new poems your way.

Poet's Weekly Muse

So glad to see you back on Gather.  I've missed you.  Please post this to my group as I would love to feature it there.

I'm glad to be back, Jan.  Thanks so much for the pings during my absence; it's always good to know that one's writing is appreciated.  I've sent this poem along to the Weekly Muse.

The four stanzas seem to represent the four seasons, starting with fall.... and the format of this piece looks much to me like the descent of a maple seed.  I have a maple tree, but it's one of those weird ones with two seeds that look like dog ears.... but I know well the 'helicopter' seed you speak of here, and it set this whole piece up visually.  Very soft and delicate, with the promise of more.....

You know, that's an interesting thought.  There's a maple tree just outside my door, and it litters the ground with those single-winged "helicopters."  This poem started when I looked closely at one of the seeds.

Astute and close reading, Ferosh!  I see your thought path and agree.

Featured on the group.  This poetry flies and rests lightly on my bosom.  It reads like a song and reminds me how our poetry is akin to seeds with fruitful potential.

I really enjoyed reading this. This is what I call poetry - unforced but telling rhyme, elegant scansion, excellent imagery and food for thought. Admirable on many levels.

James, powerful poem.  You've submitted it to Mindful Poetry, which I appreciate, but enlighten me as to the form itself.  I am not sure what specific form it is.

Beyond that, like Mike said, this is true poetry.  You've nary an extraneous word!  

Thank you for the kind words, Susan.  I'm not sure whether syllabic poetry counts as 'formal' for the purposes of your group, but each of the stanzas above observes the following number of syllables per line: 6-5-6-4-7.  The last two lines of each stanza are rhymed.   It's nothing along the lines of a sonnet, cinquain or haiku, though, so if you decide that it's not appropriate for Mindful Poetry, I won't be offended.

James, if you can find me a link or point out the form in a book--nameless though it might be--then I'd love to include it in the Mindful Poetry group and someday feature it.  

I love new forms of poetry to learn, try, and teach.

Yikes!  Please, I'm delighted to have this land in the "for consideration" at Mindful Poetry.  :-)  When I've more free time, I'll look over the link.

Remarkable poem James - I particularly like the first three stanzas - perhaps some of the most original images used in a poem I have read. Great work - looking forward to reading more of your stuff.

What a glorious poem! I love both the structure and the overall theme. There is a duality present of both adversity and ultimate hope. It was a very completely satifying poem.

James, this is not only a great poem it is in its own way visionary, looking forward to the birth of ideas. I love how tightly the metaphor is woven, and with such stunningly beautiful and descriptive language. I especially like "spiderlings" and "battered insect of the spring", but there are so many great lines here.

what a wonderful poem

I love it. So many images - I felt like a child again growing up.