Poetry Month, day 30
At the final day of Thirty Poems in April for 2018, we are asked to turn nouns into verbs. What wild and wondrous metaphors that might produce! ("If we firework, is it from rage or orgasm?" we are asked.) But poems have minds of their own, and mine took a rather more literal approach.
At the final day of Thirty Poems in April for 2018, we are asked to turn nouns into verbs. What wild and wondrous metaphors that might produce! ("If we firework, is it from rage or orgasm?" we are asked.) But poems have minds of their own, and mine took a rather more literal approach.
Paganing
I'm Samhaining tonight.
No, the date's not wrong,
I've Hemisphered it
(Southerned it) Sabbated it
to this arc of the circle
where I live and witch.
Oh, there'll be plenty
on the other side of the world
Northerning the date –
lighting fires and jumping
into each other's hot arms,
Beltaining the evening away.
Here, I’m ancestring.
Places are set around the table:
plated, cutleried, cupped,
food and wine ready
for those who care to come
spiriting through the veil.
And not only my forebears,
those past generations –
those past generations –
no, also my husbands
(three) who unspoused me
in life or death but all dead now …
and certain others never wedlocked.
What kind of ritualling would it be
without those faces at my feast?
But first I’ll go midnighting, out there
with my wands and my black cat.
So long since I've ceremonied outdoors!
It's overcast, dark. That’s fitting.
I candle the space minimally. I know
that my neighbour over the back fence
is away, having schizophrenicked himself
into hospital, poor chap, but it frees me
to cast and call unseen; to between; to open;
then welcome honoured guests.
Marvelling at this marvel of a poem Rosemary -am sure that master of the noun-verb Dylan Thomas would want to be one of your "certain others never wedlocked"
ReplyDeleteOh, what a wonderful thought! And why not? I was thinking more of other loves whom I didn't end up marrying – but, as a poet, he is certainly one of my dearest loves!
DeleteThis is lovely!💜 Wishing you a blessed Samhain, Rosemary!💜
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Sanaa. It's been fun journeying with you this month.
DeleteWhat a great set of verbing
ReplyDeleteMuch🌼love
I love all the verbed nouns. Bewitching! (Smiles.) Love the setting out of plates and cups for those visiting through the veil. Love the vision of you outdoors with your wand, casting and calling. Wonderful!
ReplyDeletehear, hear, for midnighting ~
ReplyDeleteHere, I’m ancestring...
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much I love this line. We southerners have to upset the rituals to suit our nether seasons.
What a clever bit of verbing! Loved it. I especially like the idea of your invited guests. Would that I could do the same - for old time's sake :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely, and I always enjoy reckoning anew with the fact that we live on the other side of the world from each other, and everything is flipped. Enjoy your opposite Samhaining!
ReplyDeleteLove the way you verbed yourself into the wonder of samhain.. so much movement in your word.
ReplyDeleteOh this is superb, Rosemary! You've witched up some great verbifications here! I am particularly wowed by:
ReplyDelete'I've Hemisphered it
(Southerned it) Sabbated it
to this arc of the circle
where I live and witch';
'Here, I’m ancestring.
Places are set around the table:
plated, cutleried, cupped'
and
'But first I’ll go midnighting, out there
with my wands and my black cat'.
Enjoy your ceremonies, rituals and all things as the night thins and we, on the opposite arc, open our arms to the heat and spring fling, ... er, I'll skip verbing.... Beltane ... celebrate well, in peace, safety and pleasure .... Bright Blessings.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the pleasure of your words this month Rosemary. (poems and comments)
Thank you, and the same to you! I've very much enjoyed yours also.
DeleteAdore setting out the cutlery for "for those who care to come
ReplyDeletespiriting through the veil. Enjoyed the whole poem!
Cast and call well my friend. Blessed Be.
ReplyDeleteAnd to you.
DeleteWhen I did go out at midnight, it was no longer so overcast. The full moon was clearly visible right overhead. (Smile.)
Ah, your dwelling place where you 'live and witch'...love this line :)
ReplyDeleteThe first line made me smile. It reads like a gentle battle chant that calls for everything. And I love the image brewed to mind by "where I live and witch."
ReplyDelete