Work (first draft)
National Poetry Day, Bath UK 2008
When the work of going to the office
Fell away from me
The smooth clack of to do lists ticking
The ordered stationery
The linear threads of projects following through each other
My hands were empty of myself
And full of uncertainty.
Full of tiny lives and the mad blue hours
Awake when the restless horde on trains seemed still
Looking out onto moonlit gardens
At our unkempt hedges
My own raggedy attempts
To claw back the ravages to my will
Say this is work.
Working love invisible
Each fold each smooth each bend
Soggy runnels of water
Clothes plates children floors eyes
Overflowing
I am more and more invisible
Each day full, each day filled
Needs more work, needs more love.
Needs the still center, like I need it
Walking the knife blade, burns
Meridians blossoming beneath my hands
Light crackling, intent on showing paths
Full, I am the empty vase
Trusting to the adept work of my palms.
by ppo
copyright remains with the author October 2008
Photo by Kak Teh
9 comments:
wow. What a rich poem about...work!
I love the third verse especially, on "working love invisible" cos it's so true. Ain't that what the best poems are? Truth, even the ugly bits, but in lines of beauty.
Also very loving this photo of you. Oh how we miss you, dear! :)
Marc: Yes it is a strange topic for National poetry day...there was something touching in its ordinariness. Thanks for coming by and having a read!
LFB: Hi I miss you guys too :(
Tanks for reading my humble offering. Need some real news of you soon.
hahaah - photos by Kak Teh, camera belongs to Pey!
btw - autumn must be so beautiful in your part of the world!
Kak Teh! It is beautiful here in the autumn, the beech trees on the cliff are starting to get the bronze look and it was so beautiful in the sunshine yesterday. :) x
"My hands were empty of myself" is a very strong line. Trying to understand the last verse - I am not as smart as I was and not as smart as I think I am. Nice to see you back writing (online at least), I hope this is the first work of many.
Thank you Mr Anonymous (M)! I really appreciate your comment - the last lines are about working with chinese medicine, really...:)
and we being thankful for the beautiful poem that fills the invisible working lives of we.
and hopefully, yours as well. :)
Oh my word, the invisibility and the constant need for more love to fill the days has made me cry.
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