Thursday, July 16, 2015

A philosophy of hope

















Today at dversepoets.com  we are invited to write about philosophy of life, about taking a break from "being connected" and taking time to be with one's own thoughts and how we can re-write our scripted life.  I had written this earlier but it seemed to fit the category of "opportunities to look at one's life", taking stock of what one has, a way of surmounting trauma and disappointment, etc.




Skeletons of old railroad relics lie scattered,
stuck in foliage stiff and dry
Sing my poverty!
Squirrels whisk nuts underground,
barn to barn the swallows fly
nab what fruits they can by robbery
Prickly heat throws back the sun; 
we breathe the motionless air
How different the weather is,

the river does not flow,
runs and hides a honey bear
Overhead jet stripes in the sky
bees vanish as scythes pant,

 The horseman's ruddy gaze 
says he is parched from the inside,
emerging from checkered shadows,
drunk on his drowsy ride 
Red brick in color, 
chunks of clay earth break away
where waterfalls used to slide,
hawks scared the jay
His sight stretches back to the volcano
that emptied its belly -
when hope faded quickly away
and heat softened the mind
He had the strength to carry on,
the desire to live a different way
Glimmers a mirage in glassytude,
just when an oasis soothed the eye.
Imagining underground water blue
He dismounted and crawled,
digging elbows into silt,
sprawled on his stomach in the dirt,
Grateful he might live another day
he quenched his thirst in morning dew
A slip of grass caught his chin
as he bent his head to pray


Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

17 comments:

  1. XJuly 16, 2015 at 3:08 PM

    I like how you allow elements of the story to bring out the story. Like the volcano and the relics of the train with the poverty. Makes me think about progress and the things we leave behind along with it. It is a humble life you describe. Sustained by something bigger than us on morning dew and prayer. Perhaps" a philosophy of passage"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy ReedJuly 16, 2015 at 3:17 PM

      Yes, one kind of philosophy I guess...tried to make an already written poem match the prompt. TY, X

      Delete
  2. GraceJuly 16, 2015 at 4:06 PM

    That is some scene, to be parched and suddenly to be thankful that one's thirst is quenched by the dew ~ A very humbling experience, but these things make us appreciate life more ~

    For your info, I was writing American Sentences, which is 17 syllables in one line. Have a good day Kathy ~


    ReplyDelete
  3. Myrna R.July 16, 2015 at 8:08 PM

    Good story Kathy. To me it's not just about hope, but also about gratitude. We all live just one more day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SusanJuly 16, 2015 at 8:09 PM

    We have to be driven to our knees with need before the praying and gratitude begins. At least beauty is preserved in poems like this with horse, bluejay and hawk.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ClaudiaJuly 17, 2015 at 5:05 AM

    i had to think about the climate change - the heat - things that once worked don't any more and we humbly move on with what we got - being thankful for each drop of dew

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sanaa RizviJuly 17, 2015 at 7:00 AM

    This is beautiful..!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sumana RoyJuly 17, 2015 at 7:20 AM

    love the rich images of each and every line in this beautiful poem of gratitude...

    ReplyDelete
  8. WolfsrosebudJuly 17, 2015 at 10:07 AM

    such a dramatic write... you must have pondered this for awhile... lovely visuals while reading it

    ReplyDelete
  9. Katie Mia FrederickJuly 17, 2015 at 12:33 PM

    Sitting behind a fence.. other than making straight
    A's.. hitting a ball with racquet..
    tennis is me... taking a rest
    looking farther than fence..
    having no frigging
    idea what will come
    next.. ah.. i already
    have the answer to
    life then.. just
    live now..
    tomorrow does
    not exist.. and
    i rarely go back
    to that
    tennis
    court..:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnotherFearlessYear.netJuly 17, 2015 at 1:08 PM

    A small drop of water in the desert - the perfect picture of a philosophy of hope. Peace, Linda

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sherry Blue SkyJuly 17, 2015 at 4:12 PM

    I wrote about a philosophy of hope too, if humorously. I love all of the imagery in this poem, glimpses of the natural world (whose beauty is the source of much of my happiness.) Beautifully written! I really enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. dsJuly 17, 2015 at 7:26 PM

    Wow. Quite the post-apocalyptic scene you paint here. It is what we are coming to, isn't it? And yet, the horseman, passing by, grateful for that morning dew to slake his thirst. Hope. Oh, yes. Never have we needed it more. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. kaykualaJuly 18, 2015 at 2:47 AM

    when hope faded quickly away
    and heat softened the mind
    He had the strength to carry on,
    the desire to live a different way

    It is great one does not give in so easily. Hope has a way of making things happen in time! Great thoughts Kathy!

    Hank

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousJuly 18, 2015 at 10:59 AM

    My hope is that God, who loves His creation, as much as He loves humanity, will not allow man to destroy it. Of course, man may damage it enough that we will "quenched his thirst in morning dew" instead of out of the tap or trendy bottled water.

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousJuly 18, 2015 at 11:07 AM

    Very strong imagery. I could feel the struggle of the horseman, the strength he mustered to carry on....and of course....the hope.
    Beautiful, Kathy!

    ReplyDelete
  16. grapelingJuly 19, 2015 at 3:20 PM

    captivating story telling ~

    ReplyDelete

All comments, constructive and otherwise, are welcome and appreciated here. Thank you to those who show an interest in my quirky style of writing, photography, painting, and presenting a feeling or thought and for stopping by A Dwelling by the Sea..

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)