No Earthbound Thing
The Cantus Mariales now have ended.
I’m gazing at the heavens, and they seem
serene, unchanging. They are not. A bird
swims through that vast expanse, as if it had
no project to set foot on land. The pale
pink clouds of dawn are white now, on their blue
unbroken canvas. At their feet – the squat
and jumbled realm of earthbound things, which are
my stamping grounds. If there should come a day
when more than light descended on the globe
as we pursued our business – when the clouds
might open to reveal some entity
whose home is unlike ours – I would not bat
an eye, I would not spill my cup of tea:
each newborn instant threatens it. Above
our busy heads, the sky calls out to all
the dreamers, the far-sighted. And it says
that it is quite unlike our world. The things
that matter to us, it holds cheap. And we
have little time for sunrise in the East,
but it comes daily. As the birds propel
themselves through air, I hear the singer yet.
He’s speaking of what’s holy. And my heart –
no earthbound thing – climbs up with every note.
No Earthbound Thing
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ray miller
- Perspicacious Poster
- Posts: 7429
- Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:23 am
Very enjoyable read, John.
I’m gazing at the heavens, and they seem
serene, unchanging. They are not. A bird
swims through that vast expanse as if it had
no project to set foot on land.
I don't see how the one exemplifies the other. The bird's flight might show the sky's vastness, but unchanging?
I’m gazing at the heavens, and they seem
serene, unchanging. They are not. A bird
swims through that vast expanse as if it had
no project to set foot on land.
I don't see how the one exemplifies the other. The bird's flight might show the sky's vastness, but unchanging?
I'm out of faith and in my cups
I contemplate such bitter stuff.
I contemplate such bitter stuff.
Hi Ray,
I'm glad you enjoyed it! The bird was literally crossing the sky as i gazed upward, so my sequencing is a bit unfortunate - the bird's a detail, not an illustration. I'll have to think how I might make that clearer. "Now" or something.
For now, I've just added a comma.
Cheers,
John
I'm glad you enjoyed it! The bird was literally crossing the sky as i gazed upward, so my sequencing is a bit unfortunate - the bird's a detail, not an illustration. I'll have to think how I might make that clearer. "Now" or something.
For now, I've just added a comma.
Cheers,
John
Hi John,
Enjoyed the read, the lift of the piece was great-one minor niggle, birds don't swim
T
Enjoyed the read, the lift of the piece was great-one minor niggle, birds don't swim
T
Counting the beats,
Counting the slow heart beats,
The bleeding to death of time in slow heart beats,
Wakeful they lie.
Robert Graves
Counting the slow heart beats,
The bleeding to death of time in slow heart beats,
Wakeful they lie.
Robert Graves
G'night, John!
Oops, boops, we mean general greetings; it has been another long day here, but we're not quite ready for sleep yet. We enjoyed reading this poem, which strikes us as somewhat musem-esque, taking as its starting point a piece of music (*v*)
We're pleased to see a bird make an entrance so early, particularly a swimming bird, very pleasant. The colours are delightful through the sky stanzas and we like the 'jumbled realm' as we think of the Jumblies. We wonder whether the music N has just heard has led to a state in which the revelation mentioned would not come as a surprise. Music has that effect sometimes (*v*)
We wonder whereabouts in the East N dwells, towards the end of the poem. It's excellent to see birds, now, propelling. Perhaps because one has been swimming, we imagine they have oars and are aboard a little sky-boat. We shall return (^v^)
Cheerie,
F & (^v^)
Greetings, Fliss and Coo!
Here it mid-afternoon, about teatime. I do hope the Tea Room proved cool and agreeable. You are quite correct, this is another musem-esque piece, inspired as it was by music.
There is indeed a swimming bird here. I have long felt that the propulsion of birds’ wings would do well in water, witness the noble penguin and the auk and the loon. I am happy to see the color scheme and the jumbled bits appealed to you, the Jumblies seem called upon in such a context, far and few though they may be. And with reason!
I suspect you are again correct in thinking that the music contributes to the N’s openness to theophany. Music does indeed have that effect.
Where in the East does the N dwell? Perhaps somewhere east of the sun and west of the Moon. The birds are very likely aboard a little sky-boat, pulsing the oars rather than their weary wings. Or is that never-weary wings? I am not sure.
Cheerie,
John
Here it mid-afternoon, about teatime. I do hope the Tea Room proved cool and agreeable. You are quite correct, this is another musem-esque piece, inspired as it was by music.
There is indeed a swimming bird here. I have long felt that the propulsion of birds’ wings would do well in water, witness the noble penguin and the auk and the loon. I am happy to see the color scheme and the jumbled bits appealed to you, the Jumblies seem called upon in such a context, far and few though they may be. And with reason!
I suspect you are again correct in thinking that the music contributes to the N’s openness to theophany. Music does indeed have that effect.
Where in the East does the N dwell? Perhaps somewhere east of the sun and west of the Moon. The birds are very likely aboard a little sky-boat, pulsing the oars rather than their weary wings. Or is that never-weary wings? I am not sure.
Cheerie,
John
Greetings, John!
Ooh yes, mid-afternoon, very pleasant. It's coming up to 8pm here now, and still cool and agreeable in the Tea Room, hooray. We've been exercising quite a lot and are rather tired, but we thought we'd just pop in briefly before our evening morphine (*v*)
We continue to appreciate the swimming bird. Thank-coos for inviting us to witness the penguin, auk, and loon, excellent. A well-presented colour scheme and a hint at the Jumblies will always elevate a poem, we think. Far and few, far and few... (^v^)
We are grateful to music for its ability to open the mind to matters beyond the physical plane; that is a blessing. Mention of the sky-boat brings to mind the Skye boat song. Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing (^v^)
Cheerie,
F & (^v^)
PS: We hope to comment on your latest poem tomorrow (*v*)
Ooh yes, mid-afternoon, very pleasant. It's coming up to 8pm here now, and still cool and agreeable in the Tea Room, hooray. We've been exercising quite a lot and are rather tired, but we thought we'd just pop in briefly before our evening morphine (*v*)
We continue to appreciate the swimming bird. Thank-coos for inviting us to witness the penguin, auk, and loon, excellent. A well-presented colour scheme and a hint at the Jumblies will always elevate a poem, we think. Far and few, far and few... (^v^)
We are grateful to music for its ability to open the mind to matters beyond the physical plane; that is a blessing. Mention of the sky-boat brings to mind the Skye boat song. Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing (^v^)
Cheerie,
F & (^v^)
PS: We hope to comment on your latest poem tomorrow (*v*)
Greetings, Fliss and Coo!
I am glad to hear the Tea Room was so agreeable! Exercise is well worthwhile and I should do more of it.
Yay, swimming birds! Penguin, auk, and loon feature near the top of my list. Penguins are tremendous swimmers, of course. Jumblies on the other hand are perhaps not so very good at swimming, it is sad to report.
I very much agree with your perspective on music. The Skye boat song I’ve heard of but do not know, though I do know the Mingulay boat song. My theory is that different islands each had their own song.
Cheerie,
John
I am glad to hear the Tea Room was so agreeable! Exercise is well worthwhile and I should do more of it.
Yay, swimming birds! Penguin, auk, and loon feature near the top of my list. Penguins are tremendous swimmers, of course. Jumblies on the other hand are perhaps not so very good at swimming, it is sad to report.
I very much agree with your perspective on music. The Skye boat song I’ve heard of but do not know, though I do know the Mingulay boat song. My theory is that different islands each had their own song.
Cheerie,
John
Greetings, John!
And thank-coos for your ongoing interest in the Tea Room. We're pleased to report it has been another cool and agreeable day here, with some desk dancing, which we recommend (^v^)
Penguins are indeed tremendous swimmers; Jumblies, less so, although they were wise to bring the pinky paper, naturally. We're glad to agree concerning music and shall google the boat song you mention there. The Isle of Coo certainly has its own song (^o^)
Cheerie,
F & (^v^)
And thank-coos for your ongoing interest in the Tea Room. We're pleased to report it has been another cool and agreeable day here, with some desk dancing, which we recommend (^v^)
Penguins are indeed tremendous swimmers; Jumblies, less so, although they were wise to bring the pinky paper, naturally. We're glad to agree concerning music and shall google the boat song you mention there. The Isle of Coo certainly has its own song (^o^)
Cheerie,
F & (^v^)