Alexandrite-- Stiffen the Sinews, Summon up...Blood

[Alexandrite]

10. & 11. April 10 & 11 Sevenlings

9. Seven Hard-fast Rules for Blackberry Picking

8. Daughter's Room Turned Guest Room

7. Lake Webster Late at Night

6. Hiaku Ditto

5. Hiaku Catch-up

4. Not

3. Indiana SB-101

2 How to Return to Oneself

[Donner]

Nice NaPo opening, Alex!

Oh, wait...that's not a poem, is it.



You're a veteran, you can do this!

Donner

[senia]

Good to see you, Alex. Donner's right - you can do this. Hope all is well.

xox, A

[Emilio]

Alex, the imagery you've captured is stunning, the moment slows time, the contrast of beauty and cemetery is admirable. You've plunged well,

Best

[Alexandrite]

Thank you, Emilio!! It's good to be writing again after a long drought.
I have my grand-littles tomorrow which makes for a FULL, long day--- so
I'm jumping the gun by posting tomorrow's today-- it's a bit slap-dashed.

How to Return to Oneself

It’s within this simplicity--
the sun tossed and tangled
in distant branches,
fleece snugged under your chin,
pine needles spread as a great
bronzed carpet—their fragrance
released like a bygone memory
into the wind.

No distractions--
No cellphone buzzing--
No insistent cursor--
No world news to set mind
……………gears whirling—

Just a nip sharp enough
to turn fingers red,
make your nose run, and this path,
solid beneath your feet,
each step
becoming longer and lighter
as you go.

[Dave Wiseman]

The juxtaposing of the dancing images against the tombstones works very well, as does the overall atmosphere. A very good start.

[Arlene]

I do remember loving your beautiful poems before. Here too -- love the images, sequins, snow, the little girl dresses -- the juxtaposition of cemetery stones and light.

[Scrow]

I like how you catch a 'big' image - 'big' concept and then zoom in (from the Mobius strip to the sequins). This sets up a juxtaposition of imagery in my head which adds a further dimension to the thing. You do this as well in 'How to Return': the sun to the cellphone to the carpet to the fingers - the succession of images makes me engage - makes me think. I've really enjoyed reading these. Thank-you.

Sarah

[Dave Rowley]

Hello, Alex!

Cemetary is just beautiful. I loved the break at 'a spade’s-worth / of snow' and the slow motion succession of images that followed.

D

[cookala]

so good to read you again! Love the first 2 - what sticks out in Cemetery On a Wintry Day is that last, penultimate line. yes, the dance does endure. and I enjoyed the way you image play with the snow. nice. In How to Return to Oneself you hit it right on the head - exactly. I so relate to this poem. It brings memories of walkabouts through the local arboretums in between Winter and Spring. much enjoyed!

[PClem]

The little death of winter dances among gravestones. Nice.

And leaving the world behind to rediscover the self. Sort of Kooser and Stafford all in one.

[Nitika]

Hi Alexandrite,

There's lots of lovely, enduring images in Cemetery on a Wintry Day. It's precious

And the second! The title drew me in, and honestly, I was hoping for a secret. I found something better -- the sun tossed and tangled in distant branches, and pine needles spread out as a great bronzed carpet, and a nip in the air. Who needs secrets when one can have long walks instead! One foot ahead of another, every step longer and lighter. Thank you for writing this. I've been lazy, but I'm going to the park in the morning -- I need a lovely walk to return to myself.

Nitika

[GreaterMandalaofUselessness]

Alexandrite,

Cemetery on Winter's day. I like the slow motion snow imagery, but wondered where it was going, but then, after you'd got me caught up enough in the image of the snow long enough that I'd almost forgotten the graveyard setting, you hit me with that killer ending: "among somber stones, / the dance endures.". Great timing.

How to Return to Oneself so true, mind you, if you're thinking of getting away from it all already, it could be a long NaPo! (Btw you have a typo in the index title of this poem).

Great start. I look forward to reading the rest.

-Matt

[Sorella]

Alex in real life, as in off Facebook and in NaPo, hooray!

So good, so you, both the sparse but descriptive couplets in the first, and the meditation of the second.

Loved this:

even here,

among somber stones,
the dance endures

Sorella

[Jee Leong]

Hi Alex, "Cemetery on a Wintry Day" is a keeper.