Monday 19 March 2012



Picture courtesy of Rowan Pendragon


A poem to celebrate the Spring Equinox


Ostara

Here, within the chorion, Life twitches
as the rushlight flimmers
beneath Winter’s melting egg.
Small fingers, stained with alluvium
unwrap like fiddleheads.
Eyelids begin to flutter, brushed lightly
by saffron tinted shadows.
Outside, She sits and rubs a cluster
of mallow green stones
shining them with spittle and oil.
When the Spring rains fall
she will fill her lungs with petrichor,
kneel in rich crumbles of humus
and, under a bone-white moon,
slide her arms deeply
into squelches of moistened soil
drawing out the new life
slicked and dripping with amnion.
This is the moment when we feel
the earth dancing inside our selves;
when the untouchable stars flicker
and whisper about infinitude.

18 comments:

  1. This is so rich, so sensual...like Spring itself. I'm there feeling the slickness, the oil, smelling the petrichor, all the aromas. Sentient, exploding with color and rebirth. Really a gorgeous poem, P. I love it!

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  2. Thank you sincerely for your lovely comments, Jacquie ~ I'm so pleased that you like it so much.

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  3. "This is the moment when we feel
    the earth dancing inside our selves;
    when the untouchable stars flicker
    and whisper about infinitude"

    Could there be anything more lovely to herald the return of spring?

    You are a treasure.

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    1. That is so kind of you Heidi ~ thank you ever so much for your lovely comments.

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  4. Lovely ode to spring, birth and rebirth. Beautiful!

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    1. Thank you Chris ~ really pleased that you enjoyed my poem.

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  5. This poem is filled with so many wonderful descriptions.

    I love Fiddleheads, Petrichor and bone-white moon... but for me, these lines linger beautifully:

    'Eyelids begin to flutter, brushed lightly
    by saffron tinted shadows.'

    And then the last four lines are just divine, leaving you feeling wrapped up in the warmth of spring.

    A really lovely poem :)

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    1. Thank you Abi for such lovely, detailed comments. I really appreciate them all :)

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  6. Peter, there is not a single word out of place in this glorious ode. I shall carry the spirit of your words for a long time. The earth shall dance inside me:

    This is the moment when we feel
    the earth dancing inside our selves;
    when the untouchable stars flicker
    and whisper about infinitude.

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    1. What a beautiful thing to write ~ thank you sincerely, Marousia. I'm so pleased that you managed to leave a comment ~ bless you for persevering :)

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  7. A wonderful view on personified spring. In your poem its magic grows and shines. Love especially the last lines!

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    1. Hi Martin ~ pleased you like my poem & thank you for such lovely comments.

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  8. How wonderful to start the first day of Spring with such a rich, sensual poem. "This is the moment when we feel
    the earth dancing inside our selves..." It is indeed, and having read your evocative words, I am more aware of it than ever. Thank you for writing and sharing it with us Peter.
    Jo

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  9. And thank you, Jo-Anne, for such lovely, thoughtful comments. I'm so pleased you like it & felt able to share your feelings about it. Very much appreciated :)

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  10. Gorgeously descriptive with wonderful imagery. Those last 4 lines:

    "This is the moment when we feel
    the earth dancing inside our selves;
    when the untouchable stars flicker
    and whisper about infinitude."

    ..are divine. Another beautiful poem, Peter :) x

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  11. Thank you ever so much for your wonderful comments Louise ~ I really do value them & so pleased you like 'Ostara' :)

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  12. Just found your Spring Poem - it is beautiful.Your poetical words and verse are like the music of The rites of Spring (Stravinsky)

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  13. What a wonderful compliment ~ thank you so much Edjo, that is so lovely of you :)

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