A Transcendental Whirl
Each vignette begins with a phrase culled from “Threnody” by the 19th-century Transcendentalist, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
~~ 1 ~~
nest of bending reeds
near the shore a secret place—
great blue herons hide
~~ 2 ~~
grass and scented weeds
cradling the children’s laughter
autumn afternoons
~~ 3 ~~
blade of autumn grain
stranger to distressing drought
welcoming the scythe
~~ 4 ~~
the wintry garden
holding carrots prisoner
till spring thaws should come
~~ 5 ~~
every pulsing sound
every thing that does not shine
pointing out the way
~~ 6 ~~
The stream runs on, but
one diamond is left behind—
rearguard for the light.
~~ 7 ~~
in books of solace
seeking her long-lost childhood
rhyme by tinkling rhyme
~~ 8 ~~
see my empty house
the shutters’ crazy angles
all the doors ajar
~~ 9 ~~
star by star his world
resolving into shadow
as each star blinks out
~~ 10 ~~
to make this wisdom
demands a seer acquainted
with the ways of stones
~~ 11 ~~
They cannot bind him,
though their bands be made of steel,
forged by elven hands.
~~ 12 ~~
spirit strikes the hour
martyr chained by faith and doubt
crackles in the flames
© 2014 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Poetry Pantry #223
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 183
Posted on October 19, 2014, in 5-7-5, Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl and tagged childhood, crazy, diamond, laughter, martyr, prisoner, secret, seer, shadow, shine, steel, stranger. Bookmark the permalink. 32 Comments.
Magical Mystical Teacher 
The seventh one is my favorite…I loved to read as a child…still do, so this one really resonates in its solace, but I also appreciated the imagery of the wintry ground holding carrots prisoner!
Revisiting old homes (No. 8) can bring on quite mixed emotions, of childhood, romance and starting married life and so on. Usually it has been satisfying but that maybe is more about the person that the house.
So much to love..the prisoner carrots..the books of comfort…a transcendental flight indeed
I love number 4. 😀
The last one made me laugh!
No laughing matter for the martyr, I’m sure!
this is great! I love the part about the wintry ground holding the carrots prisoner!
Number 9 touch my heart with its melancholy.
“everything that does not shine pointing out the way”… ahhh a line that lingers on and on….
very nice tit bits and the first one is may favorite.
very nice set MMT…love the color & joy of 1& 2….deeply touched by the sadness of 9….
You have come up with another wonderful collection. Looking outside here this morning, seeing the frost, your poem about the carrots in the wintry garden really resonates. And the one about the empty house has a sadness…I picture an elderly person living alone there, without ability to make repairs.
You begin with one I thought was the very best, then each one thereafter rose to meet my applause. Thank you for each one, something special in each line!
I like the joy and peace in the first two.
So lovely, each one, that I can’t pick a favourite this week.
I am glad you mentioned using the Emerson as it explains the unity I felt among these diverse strands. The culmination in Martyrs is astounding. For the gentler side of nature’s wisdom, I enjoyed #4. Bravo!
These are all very powerful. You are pondering ever more deeply. I especially admire “to make this wisdom
demands a seer acquainted with the ways of stones”. Wow.
Oh My!! Gorgeous collection….they are all so beautiful. #4 is perhaps the BEST! Smiles~
Ok mmt … 1st i gotta thanku for links abt emerson … I have to go back and finish reading .. That poem is a book!!! …. I love the form of poetry like a concerto of music…
Just love number 4! Well, love ’em all actually, but the thought of imprisoned carrots really made me smile!
I really like number nine. It feels so finite.
Fantastic.
Yup!
Another great set. The last one made me shiver… terrible imagery after some really lovely stanzas.
mmt, my empty home makes me melancholy.
Pamela
A nice set.
A lovely dozen — but I really liked number 7 very much.
I love 5 and 12.
I especially like numbers 1 and 4.
The last one is wicked and the second one is excellent too
nice sequence, i’m late with my visit this week, since i’ve been ill since Sunday, feeling better now
thank for the warm wishes you left at ‘ Sunday Lime’ at my blog
much love…
MMT, would you please email me at wildwoman2@shaw.ca? thanks, kiddo.