The Blueberry Fields of August Machias, Maine
(the lowbush upland blueberry, vaccinium lamarckii, is thinned out every two years by burning to improve the next season’s yield)
Gardeners blister berries of indigo
With terrible measures of fire
Scorching each spine and ridge
Singeing obedience on rows of enveloped sadness
Their cupped hands scooping out swirls of arsoned acreage
As refilled buckets drip kerosene below
Summoning forth flaming fists of metaphor
As gleaners sow garlands of fire
From pails fueling a ritual flame
To fields of August purple madness
Swept away by fiercer embraces hotter than any summer sky’s
While vines wither in a terrible burning roar
Scalding blasts fierce as a prophet’s oratorio
Score purple fields of fire forever
Roots fully plump like nurturing mothers
Withstanding storms of cremating caresses
Summer fire-walkers spread rows of sadness to others
Blazing bracelets of blueberries set aglow
A season and an hour on a hill
Scorched bald and fruitless by ceremonial fire
From which a man of lonely pilgrimage
Atop a rood of cedar waits sinless
From which He might watch and judge
Green leafed innocence charred black and still
As heavy pails empty on dreams below
Gleaners sow terrible measures of fire
Exploding gentle berries of indigo
To spatter the juices of burning ritual madness
Onto bodies stained forever in this summer tableau
Where weary souls set blameless vines aglow.
A contest entry
- Make me burst out in tears with your words by KaseyL.
600 points, ended May 9, 2008, 84 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Anything you like =] by Tilted-Misschief.
550 points, ended March 6, 2008, 41 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
The Blueberry Fields of August Machias, Maine
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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I didn't cry. Only a few times was I close to crying, was I sad. A few times I was wondering if you added this because I am in Maine. I believe I have to re-read his n order to fully get it, which I will. I've never been to Machias, but your poem is good. A little wordy, but good.
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was unaware where you are or where you're from MACHIAS is a stramge place as is SULLIVAN and TOWNSHIP 7 where we had a place much thanks for the read glad this was of interest regards zaj
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Wow!
Interesting
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I gain a painting of another world and learn something new with each of your poems.
'swept away by fiercer embraces hotter than any summer sky'
you can feel the intensity of th heat.
another great write.
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thank you for your comments/read you give me too much credit AND it is an incredible sight in august those purple field set aglow regards zaj
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LIked the alliteration in these lines, the flow, and the story you share here. Wonderful metaphors used in the poem too. Double space between weary and Where in the last line, and August Machias in first line.
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double space was intentional in title last line was not much thanks for your careful read/kind comments thank you regards zaj
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