for all that i grieve
{august break no. 9}
in honor of your death
i have burned the mountain
for it was you
who walked beside me
etching creases on my face
to bring me courage
you who wrapped
love’s first seed
in scarlet paper,
held it up
against the sky
to bring me home
you who left me separate
but never quite alone
to teach me the faults
of observation
i watched as
embers cooled
and turned to stone
walked among them
choosing shapes
of heart and
hollow memory
until i came
to gnarled stumps
and saw you
standing
eyes sorry
for the comfort
you had made
::
::
August 9th, 2011 at 9:04 am
The scope of your writing leaves me breathless; the air is very thin at this altitude when you bring us to the peak of this burning mountain.
August 9th, 2011 at 9:32 am
oh, my god.
that’s all i can say.
oh, my god.
xoxo
August 9th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Such an expression that I have no words but feel compelled to say, thank you.
August 9th, 2011 at 11:07 am
i held my breath all through the reading of this. and then i cried.
“i watched as embers cooled and turned to stone
walked among them choosing shapes of heart and
hollow memory”
my god, but you are amazing.
August 9th, 2011 at 11:27 am
wow. i read it then read it again several times. and this is all i can manage right now: wow.
August 9th, 2011 at 11:27 am
Took my breath away.
August 9th, 2011 at 11:38 am
to be able to write like this
leaves me speechless
August 9th, 2011 at 11:59 am
profoundly touching .. thank you
August 9th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
WHEW !!!!!!
August 9th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Stunning.
August 9th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
eyes sorry for the comfort you had made…power close…great write…burned the mountain that is intense…really well written with some fine textures…
August 9th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
This is beautifully beautiful.
August 9th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
“in honor of your death
i have burned the mountain”
Holy hell, that’s breathtaking.
August 9th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
powerful and touching write…left me sitting for a while, staring at the screen and inhaling deep…
August 9th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Such a powerful and deep piece, brillant write!
August 9th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Wow, I agree with many posters above about being speechless after reading this. Wonderful poem. I particularly love the imagery in these 2 stanzas:
“i watched as
embers cooled
and turned to stone
walked among them
choosing shapes
of heart and
hollow memory”
August 9th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
so grateful for this beautiful melancholy
that brushes up against my own ache
and somehow soothes it
in the touching
…..thank you.
-Jennifer
August 9th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
I was captured by the spirit of this write, the gratitude of trial and joy is beautifully expressed. ~ Rose
August 9th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
This could not have been more perfect. Especially now.
August 9th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
some really original metaphors and descriptions in this poem, really loved the photograph too
August 9th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Superb!Just superb.
August 9th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
What an amazing piece of prose. What love, what forgiveness, what respect, and inner growth from all those mixed emotions.
It’s almost so perfect I feel any comment will not be adequate enough to express the perfection here.
Truly a beautiful eulogy.
August 9th, 2011 at 5:19 pm
so moving. i don’t have the words… thank you.
August 9th, 2011 at 5:37 pm
…your piece is really effective in bringing this emotions of pain and wretchedness which touches deeply.. you set the tone with a beautiful image and perfect words.. i like this line the most:
“i watched as
embers cooled
and turned to stone”
..brilliant..!
August 9th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
soul-touching deep …
August 9th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Expression of grief tenderly and beautifully penned…
August 9th, 2011 at 7:21 pm
Had a cabin on a mountain that burned in 2007. I did not set the fire, but found the emotion of this poem stunning. Thanks for sharing! May you receive love tokens wrapped in scarlet paper again…
August 9th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
“in scarlet paper,
held it up
against the sky
to bring me home”
Just beautiful like the rest of the piece.
August 9th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Totally relate–you have no idea. That ruined landscape has been a nightly walk for me. Excellent writing.
August 9th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Wow. Beautiful and powerful. Thank you for sharing it with us.
August 9th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
in honor of your death
i have burned the mountain
rings like scripture, very evocative.
August 9th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
now that i reach the end of the queue of comments, i just want to tell you that this takes my breath away. absolutely takes my breath away.
August 9th, 2011 at 10:58 pm
beautiful.
August 9th, 2011 at 11:15 pm
If this be mediocrity, I say yay. Peace.
August 9th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
Beautiful. I believe I missed the reading more than my writing. I am so in awe of your skill. A great moment; a monument of heartfelt words. Superb.
http://henryclemmonspoet.blogspot.com/2011/08/look-away-please.html
August 10th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Beautiful! I have no words to add..
August 10th, 2011 at 10:37 am
you write more powerful then anyone else i know…..
August 10th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
it is beautiful to see and feel
August 10th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Oh, my. You’ve left me speechless. So much power in your words it is just… surreal. Thanks for the read!
August 10th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
Beautiful poem!
August 10th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Lovely images and language. Captured by “teach me the faults of observation.”
August 10th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Whatever and wherever your loss was, I’m so sorry for it. You do so right by it here.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:44 pm
I had to take a day or so to really be able to respond. I cried. That’s all. I cried. I still grieve for who I lost last spring even though I rejoice for my Blythe. Thank you.
August 11th, 2011 at 2:49 am
Wow, this is breathtaking, and though sad, so beautiful. The images are stunning.
August 11th, 2011 at 10:51 am
I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your wonderful thoughts and comments. It means a great deal to me. Thank you, from my heart.
August 11th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
This cracked my heart open. “shapes of heart and hollow memory” especially. it is beautiful and deep and so true it hurts.