Pockets full of pebbles

Cherry

By Deliberately Evolving

Wed, 27 May 2015
  • 4541 reads
16 comments
 
I pick them up often.
Flat, smooth and round.
Sometimes oval 
but always even.
 
I like the ones with
thin ribbons of colour,
streaking wavy lines
that cross each other.
 
I like to see patterns 
crisscross and contrasting 
the perfect smooth oval
of dark grey pebble.
 
My pockets grow heavy,
and I know as I walk
that I can't keep them,
certainly not all.
 
Time will soon come
to choose which to keep,
but indecision will mean
I'll end up with none...
 
And I'll leave thinking 
next time I'll pick 
some pebbles to keep
and will take them home.
 
But right now, trudging on...
with pockets full of pebbles,
I'm heavy with the loss...
I know is to come.
Certificate U
Poem
Philosophy

Comments

Submitted by Stephen Thom on

we are all our choices. loved this, v beautiful and layered, esp. last stanza 'trudging on.../with pockets full of pebbles' :-)

 

 

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank you for your comment. I'm not a very good writer but I worked on this a lot before I submitted it and the poem itself means a lot to me. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Art of the Diver on

Nice work... I also personally relate to this great magpie spirit that seems to draw me towards washed stones, shells and unusual pieces of driftwood. Perhaps we are finding beauty within ourselves with each unique treasure discovered, maybe that's why so many others don't see the beauty of such natural gifts or the depth of personality within each seductive treasure. Thank you for writing this piece Holly, it is in itself a treasure...

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

I grew up in a family that really helped us to appreciate beauty within nature and that so many things are art. I am a magpie too and long to collect things and 'do something' with them but at the same time knowing that I probably won't and will end up with forgotten clutter. Thank you for your comment.

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Bee on

Captures the weight of impending loss and the responsibility for it we impose on ourselves. Lovely poem, AE.

Bee

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank you for your comment. I'm sure you understood the sentiment. It was not meant as a foreboding though, just a wistful sadness that we don't get to keep all the people that we collect and love. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by london_calling79 on

'I'm heavy with the loss' - I appreciated how you've drawn together all of your themes here with appropriate word choice. You've also maintained the tone. Not an easy thing to do but skillfully done.

 

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank you so much. I worked really hard on this poem. It is close to my heart. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by love_writing on

Lovely piece! I too am a collector of pebbles and shells..Its poignancy made me think...especially the 'indecision' part. Great work! 

love_writing

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Collecting pebbles and shells is a lovely reminder that you have never lost the child within. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank you editors for deeming my poem worthy of cherries - I feel honoured!

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by airyfairy on

Your hard work has really paid off - a lovely piece of writing.  The cherries are very well deserved.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

This is a lovely poem. I can almost feel a pebble to n my hand -and the weight of the loss to come.

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank you Philip. That means a lot to me.

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I think I was a bit hurried last week, and probably missed reading this. The soft contours of hard pebbles have a  lovely feel for holding, and different to the stones from streams that colour up under water. I've brought them home before now for children's craft and then forgotten about them. I notice you are using the imagery for how many friends to 'keep', and the pain of loss. It's so good when you can pick up the threads with some you've lost touch with when you meet again. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Thank you for your comment Rhiannon. This is about loss for many reasons, some people we lose touch with, they move away, some you have to give up and some are lost through reasons outside of your control. The fear of the loss we carry with us, knowing there is nothing we can really do about it. 

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.