By Sharon E. Ludan
Honolulu Branch
“The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun…”
– W.H. Auden, Funeral Blues
I will reach deep into
this gloomy morass
and retrieve a
stubborn sliver of joy;
dig down into
this steaming mess
and extract a
tough nugget of hope.
I will run
howling
into the headwind;
scatter my sorrow
to the pelicans looping seaward;
purge my pain in the waves.
I will ditch the detritus;
scrape the marrow
of content
from every crevice
between busy and worry.
I will let the warm sun
pry me open;
the wind
hollow through me
and
dissolve my edges.
I will let the beauty
fill me
contain me
light my way
with its secret power.
I felt a powerful gathering of strength, resolve, and faith in our collective ability to create a better future as I read this wonderful poem. Thank you, Sharon!
Claire Massey
Claire,
Thanks you for your encouraging words!
Beautiful and encouraging. As a person who loves art and all the beauties of the earth, I share your feelings and your need to share them with others. This poem is an act of kindness, the sort of which means more than anything else in times like these. Thank you,.
Thank you, Patrice, I appreciate your kind words! As you well know, beauty shared is multiplied.
This poem’s power lies in the way it leads the reader to the antidote for anxiety by using such strong language: dig down, extract, howl, scatter, ditch, pry, dissolve. I enjoyed the way I was led through this poem.
Thank you, Karen! I try to use imagery to convey the particular emotion of the poem.
The hopeful tone and use of natural imagery both brought joy to me. Thank you.
Thank you, Rosalee, yours is the ultimate compliment for a poem!
Beautiful and very touching!
Thank you, Pamela, I’m so glad you like the poem!
Thank you. I loved your images, the flow and the ending.
Thank you Sandra, so glad you like this poem!
I love the optimism in this poem as we begin a new year. Sharon Ludan uses poetic language to create such vivid images: scrape the marrow of content from every crevice, let the warm sun pry me open, the wind dissolve my edges…really lovely. It reminds all of us to look for beauty that can fill us and light our way.
Thank you for your kind words, Nancy! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this poem1
Beautiful imagery and strong message that gives voice to hope in the challenges we face.
Thank you for this.
Thank you so much, Lorraine! I’m glad you liked the poem!