to pick up time

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By Di_Hard

Tue, 06 Apr 2021
  • 8030 reads
24 comments
 

never done, the sea is a bed remaking itself

over and over, so light never sleeps

on the salt shot silk of its sheet

and thoughts are beached

shells' open secrets

smooth inside

but outside rough

as living in a lie must be

however beautiful its shape.

And among the mermaid tears

sparkling white, green, amber, rarely

blue, that become glass hard in drying air

quartz litters the sand like portals to the past -

there are lumps like these in our museum, found

in bronze age burial mounds built on grassy swells

overlooking the coast, but they're dull, opaque

now, for ages untouched by this living water

to sleek transluscent  gleaming white

as if just fallen from the moon

to light passage through

the longest night.

Today, we use quartz

to keep time, splintered

into billionths of a second

and call it progress, while some

people never see clouds move on a hill

 

 

 

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

What is quartz like on the beach? Is it just a clear crystalline substaance or is it those flint lumps with grey on the outside?

I was struck by those last lines. Absorbed with measuring time, but not knowing how to meditate or look around proprerly. ('What is this life if full of care, we have no time to stop and stare'), but also with memories of my father-in-law wanting to know the exact atomic time to the portion of a second, and then dozing away in his chair! Rhiannoj

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Oh! I'm sorry - if I was clever with computers I would put a photo next to it? When we moved here, we always came home loaded with lumps we found on the beach :0) It really does gleam, and has flecks in it, like ice, so it is easy to imagine it only recently being in a liquid state? Where we are, there is pink quartz too. When it is wet, in the sunshine on the beach, it has tiny pin prick dazzles, and there are orange/pink veins. I wanted to go on about looking into it is like trying to see into the past or future but the poem seemed not to want to go there.  And, excitingly, if you rub two bits of quartz together they make light. Maybe you know about this, being scientific :0) have read about it but cannot understand how it works!

Have just looked to see if I could post a link of wet quartz on a beach, but can't find a picture, I'm sorry. There is no grey, they are just gleaming pink or white lumps, smooth as if melted, that seem lit from inside?

Thankyou very much for reading and commenting, that is just what I hoped to convey! I liked your description of your father in law :0)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I really love this poem Di - thank you

As for the picture - is there anything here?

https://www.flickr.com/search/?license=2%2C3%2C4%2C5%2C6%2C9&advanced=1&...

let me know - or email me another link to a different pic and I can put it on your poem if you like

claudine@abctales.com

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I am so glad you like it, thankyou so much for telling me! And for the cherry :0)

Also for posting the link to flickr? But now Onemore has chosen one of her gorgeous paintings I don't want to change it :0)

 

Submitted by marandina on

"salt shot silk of its sheet". Some beautiful imagery here, Di

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thank you very much for reading and your kind comment, Paul, much appreciated

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I loved the idea of the sea being a bed remaking itself, the folding of wave upon wave, yet never sleeping...what an amazing image.

You must live in such an inspiring location Di, it sounds like a place that nurtures the imagination. Also like the idea of quartz littering the sand like portals to the past...such a beautiful crystal that has inspired me so much, yet I never realized it's association with the bronze age burial mounds.

Not only an imaginative poem, but an educational one too Di. 

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

What a thoughtful reply Jenny, thankyou! I expect it is not possible, but I pretend when I pick up a beautiful quartz, that someone thousands of years ago might have picked it up, too, while they were looking for a special stone to leave with a loved one?

 

Submitted by onemorething on

A beautiful expression of time that you find yourself lost in (excuse the pun). It's a waterfall of rich imagery, lovely and encompassing. And last lines are great.
 

It is, therefore, Pick of the Day. Please do read and share.
 

Di - I chose an image with an hourglass, but feel free to change it if you're not keen on it. The image is from here:https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Evelyn_de_Morgan_-_The_Hourgla... 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

THANKYOU!!! That is an amazing compliment, you are very kind :0) And the picture is BEAUTIFUL, now I feel all luxurious. What an honour!

 

Submitted by onemorething on

I'm glad you liked the painting. :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

you are exactly right! I am very glad you got that about sound waves :0) I wouldn't put this next to those great writings but you are very kind to say that about it, thankyou

 

Submitted by love_writing on

Gorgeous poem - love that last line! And visually its lovely, like the tide coming in and out. 

love_writing

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thakyou so much for your lovely comment!

 

Submitted by bhi on

Beautiful poem, and the last sentence is sublime.

It would be great if we could pick up time. My grandmother told me that life was all about making memories and stringing them like pearls into our souls, and at end of says we can take them out and relive all that is past.

 - 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

That is a very beautiful image, thankyou for sharing it. I am glad you liked the poem. I still remember your poem so clearly                              

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

An original and very lyrical poem full of golden nuggets like "the sea is a bed remaking itself ", A brilliant line and a well-crafted piece, Di.

Kind regards, Luigi x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou so much Luigi :0) There is no craft to writing like this, rhyming mastery such as you have, that is craft, I cannot do it

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is our Poem of the Week - Congratulations!

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou so much!

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

This is tremendous writing, Di_Hard. It sweeps you along.  

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou very much for reading and your kind comment, Mark.

 

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on

An awesome poem with layers of creative expressions. The first sentence begins this magnificent journey. Well done DH!

Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou :0) Have never had awesome and something I've  done in the same sentence before, I will treasure your comment, you are so kind, Richard!