The lantern's body in autumn is cold
because its coat is a gift from the wind.
The lantern lies close to the wooden wet
in order to hear where the tree has been.
The lantern's handle is ever unheld
so that silence can take it further than words.
Left on the path, left ever low,
left to consider the motion of birds.
The lantern's glass is lit by flame--
its mother the match that gave and went out.
A lantern on a wooden walk--
pass by, pilgrim, with or without.
________
for Dverse Poetry "light"
Music: The Bee Gees Lamplight
That is terrific, like everything else you've been writing lately. "Its coat is a gift from the wind." "in order to hear where the tree has been" "Pass by pilgrim" indeed. "With or without" - flawless indifference.
ReplyDeleteWow. Just perfect.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful ode to the lantern ... I have an ancient lantern that belonged to my step-father's (born in 1989) family. One of your best, Shay.
ReplyDeleteThat series of amazing images, all grounded in darkness and the wet and the wild. It's a lovely poem, really excellent.
ReplyDeleteI love this... that lantern to me is a symbol of hope that we may accept or deny...
ReplyDelete..silence can take it further than words - LOVE this. Dark (scary) Forest (scary) but for that light, I'd surely die. LOL. Spencer had to do a survival in the woods "camp" experience in the Blue Ridge Mtns. Had to fashion their own shelter from branches, etc. If my mom had made me do that, I'd know she didn't love me. LOL. He said the kids stayed up most of the night around the campfire - so they didn't have to sleep so long in their man made shelter.
ReplyDeleteYour Lantern On A Wooden Walk is a perfect symbol of light in the darkness, Shay. I love that its ‘coat is a gift from the wind’ and it needs to ‘hear where the tree has been’.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely swoon-worthy Shay. I especially love; "The lantern's handle is ever unheld so that silence can take it further than words."💜💜
ReplyDeleteThe ending reminded me of Yeats' epilogue. I enjoyed this, the rhythm and the unexpected metaphors.
ReplyDeleteIts mother the match that gave and went out.....I love that so much and every set of lines has something to hold on to and not let go! I always feel that the last poem you wrote cannot be surpassed and then you do it again and again and again!!! Gorgeous writing as always Shay!
ReplyDeleteI really like the mysterious melancholy of this piece Shay — and its optimism. Here is a chance for a passerby, should they choose, to shed light, at least a bit of light, into the darkness. Perhaps we should all be a lantern (light) on a dark dock. I too addressed a dark dock.
ReplyDelete…for the Nov29th prompt…
DeleteA pleasure to read. I love the lantern as a character...
ReplyDeleteThere is a beautiful rhythm to your words and when read aloud sounds so magical.
ReplyDelete