This Bridge

By Richard L. Provencher

Thu, 07 Mar 2013
  • 1090 reads
5 comments
 

is old and cranky
a spider web of design
wood dehydrated
historic memory unvarnished
casts a long shadow
over River St John

tourist cameras flicker
straw hats pasted to foreheads

squeal of children
chasing across
uneven wooden planks
old men and ladies
crossed this way too.

Once they were without
arthritis nor
bones protruding
from weathered frames
and kissed in the shadows
of its covering

not many covered bridges
left standing
occupied by modern
people like you and me.

© Richard L. Provencher

Certificate U
Poem
Poetry - For All Reasons
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by coolibah on
St John fragile? Not sure he weren't actually, then, a spider web of design. Maybe it (SWOD) would work better between L1 & 2 or L3& 4, R???? I'd reconsider the use of gerunds in L9 &10, change the definite article in L2 of the final S to a pronoun. Also people seems redundant there too . Then, its more than solid. And fresh. Btw, what pause do these actually represent --, ---?

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Cooliah, your editing suggestions are appreciated. I have utilized most of them, and tweaked my poem as well. Thank you. Richard
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Hello coolibah, thank you for your observations. My story-poems always seek to blend layers of society/nature. It is a direction I have worked on and sometimes it comes out very right and other times shows my developing skills, ergo, a work in progress. And the next poem always tries to improve on the one before. Re the --. It is my pause for reflection on a snowshoe hike-thrust, then suddenly, looking around or taking a breath, and surging forward with new energy. Writing is fun, eh? I remember one of my editors chastising me years ago for interjecting eh? in my correspondence with her. My response apparently startled her and thus, I was not among her favourite people---I stated, "I am Canadian, eh?" Several other editors stated years ago, I should ALWAYS use the American spelling for words like: catalog instead of catalogue, etc. My response, "I am Canadian, eh?" Chuckle-Chuckle. Richard
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by coolibah on
I am thinking this to be about Evangelist/ism/s, R. Hence St John, as he were, was one biblically speaking... he wanted Samaria smite, but that Jesus bloke rebuked him. And when I think of an old timber bridge, I think of a Simon and Garfukle trestle'd one, planked like a spider web of design... much alike St John. In another perspective of the poem, I'm thinking of the piracy of voyeurism/the tyranny of change, spanning generation gaps, hence, St Christopher (here, the patron Saint of safe travel) would more suit, perhaps. Am probably wrong, but that's what's this gig's all about lol You've an editor? Lazy Canadian, where's the fun in that? rofl

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Hello Coolibah, St John is a city in New Brunswick. A lovely city. Cheers. Richard
Richard L. Provencher