This is not Japan,
though the maple might say otherwise
when the Monarch
teaches its leaves
the meaning of aesthetics
and the leaves reteach Monarchs
the principles of poise.
The soft gray of the rock
reclining at the tree’s trunk
is always brighter and more awake
in the reflection of still water,
and when an unexpected brush
dips itself into the pool of leaves
we know that someone is trying to draw
the other meaning of Tree.
In the red light of dawn,
the many fingers of each leaf palm
reach outwards and outwards
like a caricature of Sun.
Author notes
A brand new piece that I am rather smitten with. But yes, I realize it's not perfect, and please feel free to tell me so. Critique it mercilessly, please!
~ Sho - Japanese calligraphy
~ Japanese Maple - Acer palmata http://www.wellesley.edu/Biology/Web/Species/Images/pmaplejapanese1.jpg
~ Monarch Butterfly - Danaus plexippus http://www.duiops.net/seresvivos/galeria/mariposas/Monarch%20Butterflies.jpg
A contest entry
- Poetry by FindingFaith.
300 points, ended October 5, 2007, 5 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
This is still a baby - please help me teach it to walk.
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
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absolutely beautiful, painted with delicacy and grace, a perfect start to my day. My heart lept to see the Monarch Butterfly - in New Zealand a few years ago, the govt. released a supposed cure for an apple blight, and killed all the butterflies. They then spent years encouraging people to grow swan plants that the Monarchs breed on, to re-establish them. It's working. To me they're a potent symbol of how easily we can lose beauty.
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I've always admired the perserverance of Monarchs, myself. The fact that something so beautiful and fragile can make such a demanding migration every year blows my mind.
Thanks for your comments!
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This is lovely and reads with with delicacy, or at least that's how I see it. I like the idea; it's very unique. The only thing I question is the spelling of "caricature". It might be just me, but I don't think it looks right. Good job!
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You made me curious, so I looked it up; it is indeed spelled caricature. (I always think it looks wrong too actually lol). Thanks!
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This is a good piece. I loved the ending verse "the many fingers of each leaf palm
reach outwards and outwards
like a caricature of Sun."
Keep up the good work.
--Vox
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Congrats on the bronze. This really was an interesting style. I'm not much of a fan of free verse but this wasn't too bad.
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This beautiful. Thank you for a piece with such imagery. It seems to walk fine already. Best wishes and God Bless...
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I'd be very much smitten with this poem too if it were mine--Which is to say I adore it. There's such a serene nature of the scene which you've written into this poem...It's as though to really sense this all as though before my eyes, right down to that monarch butterfly.
As you know, I've been dappling in quite a bit of haiku-writing, and this poem has such a haiku-esque sensation about it even aside of the title and images...It's light and delicate and airy.
Lovely, lovely writing, and very best wishes to you in the contest.
Jo
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