Friday, June 19, 2020

ArtSpeak: RED poem "And this is where we shall meet"

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect for Roundup.

Huge thanks to everyone who made our Nikki Grimes Roundup a delight! If you've seen Nikki's Twitter and Facebook posts, then you know it meant a lot to her. Mission accomplished!

**Be sure to check in here next week, June 26, for a big announcement!**

Today I've got another RED poem for you. I think we've all had experience lately with separation from loved ones. It isn't easy when all we can do is dream up a reunion... will it be sweet, sad, passionate? With "red," you never know!




And this is where we shall meet

in the red room
on the corner

street empty
of feet

steeple rising
like a promise

sky thick with wings

and soon –
stormclouds

spilling from our mouths

- Irene Latham

12 comments:

  1. "Storm clouds spilling from our mouths," is such a surprisingly good way to leave this poem. We all have so much to say...but so little to report. So much emotion built up...but so little activity to hang it on. Well, the some of us that protest differently than marching or assembling with large groups of people. I have a niece highly involved in protesting right now. And, I pray for her safety and the safety of her boyfriend. Thank you, Irene for letting me have a tiny storm cloud burst in comments today. Great poem!

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    1. Dear Linda, I hadn't thought of all those ways the stormclouds work in this poem and in this time... reminds me how intuitive poetry is. It knows things we don't! Thank you for reading. xo

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  2. I, too, was taken by those stormclouds, seemingly fighting against that 'sky thick with wings', Irene. Each line shows our lives right now, moments we wish weren't there, but know they will make good things happen, too. Thank you!

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  3. So many mixed emotions in your poem!

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  4. So much to love about your poem! Thank you for sharing.

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  5. Oof, this is a powerful poem, Irene. Reunions are so full of emotion that "spilling from our mouths" could mean so many things. Thanks for your brilliance! :)

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  6. Yes there's lots to ponder in your poem with a sky that's painted thick with wings, and you've given it a sense of the surreal–with
    "stormclouds
    spilling from our mouths"

    Looking forward to your"big announcement" next week… thanks Irene, xo



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  7. Oh, how I long to meet...
    I love the imagery in these lines:

    " steeple rising
    like a promise

    sky thick with wings"

    And now you have us all wondering about your announcement!

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  8. Hope and storms - nature holds the truths of life as we move on masked but hopeful.

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  9. I, too, was struck by the last lines "stormclouds...spilling from our mouths." The image carries them, but your poem places them in our faces where we can express our anger.

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  10. Wow, this encapsulates the maelstrom of emotions so many of us feel. Thanks, Irene. Looking forward to your announcement!

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Your thoughts?