Intact
By Yutka
- 1861 reads
Uptown, shortly after the last turnoff,
in fields of uncut grasses, dry and torn,
a group of teasels next to the Cycle Park.
It is late autumn. No idea why
these tall and stalky plants,
are still standing, robbed,
forgotten and colourless,
their tattered leaves waving flags,
their cracked confusion, left alone
in the rags of autumn.
Around them long grasses whisper,
deny them, blow their way back and forth,
how incredulous
at such a breakdown and dusty ending,
unconvinced of their perseverance
when withstanding the winds,
their green time spent, their petals forfeited,
as a memorial, perhaps,
that everything was already over
and in the first falling snow they shine
as if wrapped in silver shrouds
yet still defying the wind and the cold.
Gradually to die, oppose the expectation
and time, this steady descent,
could one day be my fate.
Red kites whistle high up in the sky.
I can still hear them behind the clouds,
like ghostly messengers,
when I get home with my bouquet
of teasel brushes bristly intact.
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Comments
The dry remains do look good
The dry remains do look good in the snow, don't they, and in winter decorations I think. I remember once buiying a little 'teasel-hedghog' with my young daughter in a craft fair, and was amused to see some little flea or such-like jumping in it, which made it even more realistic as a hedgehog mimic! Rhiannon
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so many wonderful
so many wonderful descriptions! "dry and torn" "tall and stalky" "cracked confusion" "green time spent" "teasel brushes bristly" and "intact" reminding of tactile so reinforcing the bristly?
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Di's covered some of the
Di's covered some of the lovely descriptions in this above, a sadness in this, also perseverance, sound, movement, beautiful visuals, much enjoyed
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Such graceful nature writing.
Such graceful nature writing. This is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the day. Please share and retweet.
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Hi Yutka - how are you? :)
I read this a while back, and glad to come back - I was watching the teasles - they are awesome plants to watch change - reflected so well in your poem. I read your last one when you posted too, something precious - will read again. Hope you are well and enjoying the summer x (Did you get a message I was asked to send you a few weeks back?)
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Moody sands? Sounds good! Can I have a link? I'm going shopping
for books soon - It was a message pmed at uka with an email address of a friend. No worries.
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I enjoyed the controlled,
I enjoyed the controlled, languid beauty of this. Found out what a teasel is too!
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