On Listening to Mahler

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Sun, 15 Sep 2013
  • 1810 reads
10 comments
 

 

Afternoon gives way to evening...

red dogwood ablaze in the sun’s

last rays flirts with supine shadows

of a paling fence – too day-weary

to stand erect. Everything says

it’s time to move on; make way

for autumn. They say Mahler’s 5th

turns corners; meandering this way

and that, with a hint of something

else to come, and maybe that’s

how I’d like my symphony to finish,

not  with a drum-roll, or a fanfare,

nor a crescendo of strings.

 

And if, right this second, it were to end,

it would be fine with me; in my head

the memory of she at the top of a hill

and how she went cart-wheeling down

to the apple-dappled dusk of an orchard

like a leaf, falling off a tree on the cusp

of a giggling stream, for an instant,

pausing, then riding on over the brink...

magnificent, but unaware of it. But

that was long ago, and now a chair

and logs on the hearth, agapanthus

in a vase – belonged to my grandma;

a book, a dog at my feet, soft

and sleeping, will suffice.

 

Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
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Comments

Submitted by Bee on

Hi Tina.

The music has a strong emotional atmosphere, especially in its initial theme, which I feel is reflected in your first stanza. The second picks up a lighter tone as does the music with the indulgence of a lovely memory, and at the end a feeling -(for me) of a more peaceful acceptance of the now. Really loved the description of her 'cart-wheeling down to the apple dappled dusk of an orchard like a leaf, fallen off a tree on the cusp of a giggling stream...' And - 'magnificent, but unaware of it.' That's special. 

Enjoyed.

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Bee, for an amazing precis of this poem.  Wonderfully done, yourself;-)

Tina

 

Submitted by Denzella on

Hello Tina,

Bee has got it all and expressed it so eloquently.  I love the idea of a 'giggling stream'.

Moya.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Well hello there, Moya. Thanks for dropping by, and I'm pleased the giggling stream tickled your fancy;-) 

Hope things are well with you.  Other half is struggling a bit these days, but as you know, only too well, there are days, and then there are days.

Tina;-)

 

Submitted by CrazyCutter on

I agree, this almost seems like music. It's so beautiful!

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, EK;-)

 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on

I love the rhythm and pace of this poem, it seems to ebb and flow and cascade down.  I'm not very musical, but rhythmic verse - that I can appreciate.  Beautifully crafted, Tina.

Linda

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Linda, and I'm sure you're more musical than you know;-)

Tina

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

A make-peace-with-the-soul poem. Your musical memories are imbued with such synaesthetic vibrancy that the cartwheel and giggling stream brought tears to my eyes. Good tears. Times lost, but how time moves and still befits us. Gosh, I'm in awe of your poetics.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Vera - what else can I say but thank you;-)  Music has always been so important to me, and I find writing poetry very much akin to playing piano, if you know what I mean. 

Have a good weekend.

Tina