Tuesday 17 April 2012



Summer Lightning 

Deep In the day’s shadows
my blue-eyed boy dawdles
where dreams and stars blend
in glorious paradox.
Here, in his sea-soft space
galleons dip and rise
on the swell of an edgeless ocean.

Oh darling boy, time is so fast
and childhood such a skittish thing.
One day you will throw it out
like busted shoes
as you wake and smell the elegance
the algorithms
inside life’s iron cage.
And will you fly, I wonder?
Or will you sing?
The angels present at your birth
were rather coy, if I recall.

Nudged by the moon’s slow spin
you rise from your rocking boat
and I adopt a stolid air
as if my love for you
were rather ordinary.
How difficult it is, at times,
to bear the shock of summer lightning
arcing between our ribs.

When you are stubbled and long-boned
and I am kicking air –
unwrap this poem
on a bellrung Sunday during rain,
feel the beat of my devotion
pounding in the slack of its creases.

50 comments:

  1. Stunningly beautiful! A pleasure to read.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Another intense and vividly beautiful poem...a real joy to read. I can hear your heartbeat all through this....stunning, Peter :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for such a lovely comment, Louise :)

      Delete
  3. Really gorgeous poem Peter!

    Stunning, heartfelt, emotion filled, beautiful words that carry you as you read :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks ever so much Abi ~ so pleased you like my poem :)

      Delete
  4. In the first stanza I can feel the dreamy playful state of boy child. In the second stanza the whole life of the child is weighed in what seems like a short moment, as you wonder about his future and recall his birth, or even attempting to fathom his fate. And in the last two stanza's expressing the infinite love that one feels for one's offspring, but which does not seem to be enough to make them feel safe from life's dangers, even when he is in your arms. Absolutely amazing, Peter. I love this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay! Your comment made it, Quirina ~ thank you so much for your lovely, thoughtful words. The poem clearly resonated with you :)

      Delete
  5. as a father i love this if only for your capture of the emotions i feel as they grow up and life bears down...lovely man.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many thanks for such a lovely comment, Brian.

      Delete
    2. great to see you and read this again at openlinknight tonight as well...smiles...

      Delete
  6. Peter, this is so thrillingly heartfelt...your swelling heart love for this boy of yours..."feel the beat of my devotion in the slack of its creases"...I feel that..and am so touched by your deep love for this little creature. What a legacy to leave a young one. Bravo, you wonderful man you!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jacquie ~ sincere thanks for such lovely, heartfelt comments. Very, very much appreciated :)

      Delete
  7. Peter--this is just a beautiful poem--the summer lightning between the ribs--a lightening lightning in a way--that beat of love and concern are very palpable and (of course) universal, though you express them with great originality. I especially like the coy angel. K.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Karin ~ thank you for reading my poem & for such lovely comments. Very much appreciated :)

      Delete
  8. I have many reasons for loving this piece but will simply say, I can feel the ache in every word, the hope in every line. Beautifully written Peter x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is such a lovely compliment ~ thank you so much Diana x

      Delete
  9. Heart, Soul, Passion...as beautiful as your images, Peter. This was touching...color this reader moved beyond words...been happening alot today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you ever so much for that lovely comment Natasha ~ I'm so pleased my poem touched you so deeply ~*

      Delete
  10. A multitude of amazing lines here, and some glorious language.

    A most awesome write.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sincere thanks for your wonderful comment ~*

      Delete
  11. Peter ~ the hope of love received & accepting ~ beautiful and heart moving!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Do you know Billy Collins "Picnic Lightning?" His is almost as good as this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh wow! What a tremendous comment ~ I am humbled! Thank you so much! I've just been to read Billy Collins' poem & it is an incredible piece. Again, thank you sincerely Jannie

      Delete
  13. Absolutely beautiful. You have such a gorgeous writing style :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Samantha for that lovely comment ~*

      Delete
  14. An amazingly evocative poem, full of illuminating and frequently surprising imagery. It conveys love and deep emotion in an authentic and unsentimental voice. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for such wonderfully positive comments James ~ so pleased you enjoyed my poem.

      Delete
  15. As I said in my tweet yesterday this is just stunning. The joy of watching your child evolve and the melancholy of the passage of time are both present and moved me deeply. I've reread it several times and as usual your phrasing is incredibly evocative. (I just read this to my mother as well, because it's so beautiful I wanted the chance to share it with a parent. She too was moved.)

    What a wonderful gift this will be one day for your boy. That too makes the experience of reading it all the more special. Thank you. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heidi ~ thank you from the bottom of my heart for such incredible comments. It was a tough write ... I had to drag the words up from my soul but oh how I needed to write them :)

      Delete
  16. Totally blown away by my husbands incredible expression of his love for our boy, my wonderful man of words!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw! Thanks Ally ~ your comment is definitely the icing on the (birthday) cake ~ thank you, darling :) x

      Delete
  17. This is one of the most beautiful poems you've written, and you know that I always treasure the way you can choose such masterful words that pull us towards the emotion. Wonderful Peter and very touching. The last stanza brought tears. You are an artist.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is a treasure far beyond the careful tread and measure of language and rhythm. I trust it will be deeply valued, Peter, for that arc of summer lightning and the shock of putting it into words. Beautiful.

    I have the desire to write something for my boys, but not yet the words... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Becky ~ & thank you for such heart-warming & supportive words. I'm pretty sure I understand your situation ... one day the words will surface & the space will open up for you to write. That's just what happened for me ... there was a knocking at my soul & I knew I had to create 'Summer Lightning' :)

      Delete
  19. Your poem has an ease to it. Timeless and lovely, it evokes a parent's understanding. Thank you for sharing, from 1RoguePoet

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very welcome ~ & thank you for such a lovely comment.

      Delete
  20. Just revisited this poem - I loved it first time around and now I love it even more - you capture the parent's feelings so gently - gorgeous write

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Marousia ~ thank you for a truly lovely comment ~ gentleness is such an essential part of parenting & I'm so pleased I've managed to capture that feeling for you.

      Delete
    2. Hi Marousia ~ thank you for a truly lovely comment ~ gentleness is such an essential part of parenting & I'm so pleased I've managed to capture that feeling for you.

      Delete
  21. Beautifully done! I agree with Marousia that you have really captured the parent's feelings and yes gentleness is an extremely important part of parenting. Meanwhile, there is a surprise waiting for you at: http://daphnehaiku.blogspot.com/2012/05/liebster-blog-award-nomination.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daphne ~ I do apologise ~ I thought the comments on this poem had stopped well before you posted so I've only just stumbled upon your lovely comments. Thank you so much ~ & thank you for honoring me with the Leibster blogging award. That is incredibly kind of you & I truly appreciate it so much. So sweet of you, sincere thanks :) x

      Delete
  22. You just made me go and hug my own blue-eyed boy, whose head is very definitely where dream and stars blend. There is a beautiful feeling of fragility and transcience as well as pride and love here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Marina ~ I'm pretty sure I know the space that you're referring to ~*

      Delete
  23. Oh the darling blue eyed boy - wonder what you will do beyond the 'skittish' scope of childhood - 'will you fly' and I think he will with you as his Dad to guide - wonderful write Pete - a happy stumble when going to read your current write - hugs Lib

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh thank you ever so much Lib ~ your comment really moved me. I hope he does learn how to 'fly' ~ I have a sneaking suspicion that he will :) x

      Delete
  24. A beautiful poem, Peter.

    ReplyDelete
  25. This is such a beautiful poem. "How difficult it is, at times,
    to bear the shock of summer lightning arcing between our ribs."....I know that feeling too well. I have felt it between my daughters and I. The ending brought me to tears...I too hope my girls come across something I have written and feel my devotion as if I were there holding them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks ever so much for your lovely comment,Susie ~ you clearly connected with the essence of my poem :)

      Delete