For the (fictional) series "Edges"
Her Voice
Transforming Into Hermit Crab
Her Voice
Transforming Into Hermit Crab
Messy, sporadic, surreal ...
you might describe my life so.
For me it has its own music:
it is a flute, or a chiming bell.
I hold it sweet and very tender,
a small thing I nurture and cherish.
I see in others’ eyes they think me wretched.
By this I can tell that they don't see deep.
I am myself. I don't heed their scorn,
nor does it damage me or constrain.
I walked out of their world. I meant to.
Instead I have this universe here.
It may appear I took a header and fell –
it was head-first into Paradise.
My splendid isolation is rich with life,
even now scuttling around me unseen.
This inlet is a meld of plants and oh,
many creatures; how could I feel alone?
The secret is, I never see myself
as aloof, superior, apart from all this.
I love this, especially falling headlong into paradise, and not seeing oneself as apart from her surroundings. This is an awesome series, Rosemary. So many different and interesting voices.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can see you understanding this one well, Sherry.
DeleteAnd how one sees ONESELF is really what counts in the end! And if one does not feel 'alone,' one is NOT alone.
ReplyDeleteOh, how true! Thank you, Mary.
Deletesuch a self reliant theme
ReplyDeleteI resonate so deeply with this especially; "I walked out of their world. I meant to"... some of us are born unique from others and have a different purpose in life.. we are scorned because we are often misunderstood... sigh..💖
ReplyDeleteSadly we don't realize we are unique as we are striving to be part of the crowd, not understanding that we will never stand out that way!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Rosemary!
I love these lines:
“ My splendid isolation is rich with life,
even now scuttling around me unseen.
This inlet is a meld of plants and oh,
many creatures; how could I feel alone?“
II love the secret that you dispose at the end of the poem! If only everyone thought and acted that way our world would be a far better place.
ReplyDeleteThat last verse - yeah, that is key isn't is? Proud of your uniqueness but remembering that it isn't meant to be apart of superior to the rest of the lovely things sharing that ecosystem.
ReplyDelete"I am myself. I don't heed their scorn,/nor does it damage me or constrain": That's the spirit — the kind of lives we all should strive to live. Well-penned.
ReplyDelete-HA
You inhabit the rock pools that the tides fill twice daily - your language is rich and visual - "My splendid isolation is rich with life,
ReplyDeleteeven now scuttling around me unseen."
ReplyDeleteIf one is going to fall, headlong into paradise is the best way to do it. I love the voice here.
Enjoyed reading this and that image of walking out of isolation and into community...a solid impact this morning.
ReplyDelete"Falling headlong into paradise"
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome
Happy Sunday Rosemary
Much🌼love
You and Sherry have both written about being surrounded by life and you have asked the question to which I gave Sherry an answer!
ReplyDelete'My splendid isolation is rich with life,
even now scuttling around me unseen.
This inlet is a meld of plants and oh,
many creatures; how could I feel alone?'
If we accept and treat everyone and everything as our own, then peace will get a good chance...
ReplyDeleteI agree with your points
- Anita
Wow. I have always been part hermit crab, part brown pelican, so this plunge into paradise is something I relate to. It's hard not to care what others think, but stay down here long enough, and you learn.
ReplyDeleteI so relate to making our own way in life, to our own music - and, most of all, seeing ourselves as a part of all that, which surrounds us. Narcissism, I think, is seeing ourselves as the center of everything that is beneath us. You have brilliantly articulated the lovely opposite of that ego-centric state of mind, that is so detrimental to the peace and wonder of this world.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Rosemary!
"I walked out of their world. I meant to." Very powerful, and I can relate. Thank you.
ReplyDeletei think each individual is unique (and not just humans). your poem so successfully explores it. there are so many wonderful lines i had to read it again. reminds me of what Thoreau said, each man marches to a different drumbeat. :)
ReplyDelete