Wednesday, April 18, 2007

On Monday

This week's prompt at Poetry Thursday was guerilla poetry and I had every intention of participating. And then the massacre at Virginia Tech occurred. The higher ed world has been turned upside down and I find myself seeking comfort in the familiar and repetitive until I can listen to the news without having to remind myself to breathe. And so my only offering this week is this, raw and unedited, simply how I am feeling at this moment.



On Monday

on monday the storm passed us by
or so i thought
brave daffodils pulsing yellow beating back the snows
the bloodroots lifting their faces to the grey and leaden
sky seeking the warmth, the promise, the kiss of light
april's cruel mercy notwithstanding. flowers are sentient
in their own way, calyx and corolla turning toward the sun
even when there is little sun to be found. for what else
is there, for them and for us, to do? on monday i
picked up my son and danced him around the kitchen, made
him dinner, read him a story. every word, every act, every
breath a litany: make it not so, Lord, make it not so. for
all the mothers, Lord, make it not so.

12 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

beautifully moving and it doesn't feel raw and unedited at all.

Gino Brignoli said...

I do not think that this needs any editing either. It is sincere and affecting. Beautiful.

Pauline said...

a beautiful juxtaposition of hope and grief

Clockworkchris said...

I agree with everyone that this is perfect the way it is, and it enlightening to read after the VT news.

Anonymous said...

It does feel a little raw to me, but I think it might be better that way. Because it works beautifully as a prayer or incantation, which follows somewhat different rules than a regular poem. In any case, thanks very much for sharing this. I'll be linking.

Anonymous said...

Haunting and beautiful. The first thing I thought after reading the last line, was a soft, whispered, "amen."

Regina said...

One moment in a lifetime... for all of us, indeed...
Just heartbreaking...

gautami tripathy said...

It has to be raw and unedited. No mother desires this. No mother deserves this.

Beaman said...

Very sad event. Your ending was especially perfect.

Anonymous said...

Wow--you've written something lugubrious but beautiful. I love this as a poem and as a message. I will definitely be back to read some more.

jillypoet said...

Oh Sasha. So beautiful. So heartfelt. I'm with the gang-no editing needed. This poem is comforting, somehow. Thank you. It is hard to be a mom and a witness to the sometimes cruel world at the same time.

Jessica said...

this is really beautiful and touching. there are so many lovely lines and a heartwrenching ending.