I knew joints in a new way
Sixteen year old bones
Found the bottom of the Canyon Grand
From the seven to one grade
One day's exploring allowed
Neath russet cliffs
Before polite expulsion carrying
Everything out
Packaged light, dried, basic
Bright angel creek fed the chilled Colorado
And a single fig tree, content, zaftig
Generous
If one climbed into crotches
Stretched out upper limbs
Sweetness exploding bored palate
Light fading from vanished sun
She stood waiting her turn
Distant, doe-eyed and elegant
Graciously, timidly coaxed
She accepted invitation
to lick sweetness
from my fingers
Long into the
Night
Author notes
Wild whitetail doe and I shared a snack in the Grand Canyon
In a list
A contest entry
- fig(ure) it out by Nicolette.
2200 points, ended October 7, 2008, 16 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What symbolism do you see...
Comments
1 - 14 of 14
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I love poems of nature and all her wonders and it sounds as though you have had your fair share of being a part of that.
This took me with you to this wondrous encounter, thank you for sharing.
Sue x
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lovely
maybe there is hope for humanity after all
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Thanks, Michi
Hope to you as well...
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Oh my this was a breathtaking piece. Beautifully written indeed. I am honestly left quite speechless with this piece. To say it is a masterpiece doesn't seem fitting enough. This piece would alone add you to my favorites list.
Amy
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This is lovely, gentle and aware. A real touch of grace, and the fig adds the Biblical connotation of plenty, of fecundity.
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You always send me to the dictionary...
I was 16. I think this was probably one of my life shaping events.
Glad you enjoyed it. Oh. did yoo know zaftig?
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Innocence who do they prey upon? Just beauty a gift from God.
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Being a nature-lover i could really identify with the images and emotions expressed here in this poem. There's a nice build-up to the "feeding" at the end - such a nice gentle twist there too. I think you did well to weave the contest theme into this one. I do however think that if you left-align this poem, it would read easier and add more impact
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I enjoyed this. Thank you for your entry.
~ Nicolette
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yah, i made breakfast for mine.
i love how instances in relationships can refine to a crystal-clear point in time, one that carries into and beyond reflection.
love is a many-handed entity...sometimes greedy, sometimes giving.
it's how we manifest ourselves to its many faces that define us.
good write
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this is a very good poem! ^_^
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Gorgeousness.
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a wild whitetail doe indeed. this is lovely and sensual. and cleverly crafted, subtle.
i read that "The many seeds in the fig are supposed to signify unity and the universality of true understanding, knowledge" - i think your piece captures that perfectly.
vivid landscape imagery - felt like i was there. great read. - NANGALEEMA
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This is really really nice. I love the symbolism of the fig. great contest idea, Nicolette. I wonder, how old were you when this happened? This first time I ever encountered a deer this close, I was 19, and it changed my life. Right there in Louisiana. I was more afraid of it, and it stood stock still, watching me for what seemed hours. I felt as if I had been touched by something really special.
Beautiful. Thanks for bringing back memories that were good.
Much love,
jin
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Sixteen year old bones...
The canyon was so quiet it was annoying to discover the ringing in my ears. I had been working w/ chainsaws for 3 years at that point w/o ear protection, and the saws had minimal mufflers. I snapped a pic of a massive buck jumping a six foot stone break water wall that turned floods out of the bright angel campground. Classic pose, centered. I topped a hill and he spooked, I clicked.
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