Saturday, November 29, 2008

One Single Impression -- Welcoming

My first thought at this week's prompt is a book by Kate Wilhelm Welcome, Chaos which I highly recommend. Sometimes we need, desire, welcome, "bad" things, because they are a gateway to something better.

welcoming

she will not speak its name,
cannot ask directly, or say aloud
her fearful hope,
but she murmurs occasionally
of ‘a way,’ ‘a means,’
to choose the end,
control that final moment,
say 'when' and ‘welcome.’

sgreerpitt
November 29, 2008

Today's photo "Last Light in Autumn" was taken by me, early November 2008.

For more excellent poems on the theme of "welcoming" see One Single Impression Sunday November 30, 2008.

14 comments:

Haiku Tuna said...

Wow, incredible dark yet comforting twist on the prompt. Thanks for the reference to Kate Wilhelm, I will definitely find that book.

SandyCarlson said...

To know when to say when requires wisdom, to be sure. And welcome, even more.

anthonynorth said...

An almost impossibly difficult thing to achieve, but very wise words indeed.

Anonymous said...

You've hit of the real complexity of life in the physical plane, where we only know that a thinkg because of it's opposite. Terrific poem!

Geraldine said...

What an original and thought-provoking take on this prompt. Excellent! Glad I stopped in.

www.mypoeticpath.wordpress.com

Quiet Paths said...

Welcoming expansion... words for thought here. Thank you.

Jim said...

Hi Sue. Your poem intrigues me, I think I have know people like this, "don't say it or it will go away" or "it won't happen."
I have heard the saying, 'means to an end' is an idiom used to explain something in simple terms.
I wonder of what her means and end consist.
..

Raven said...

I so agree with your introductory comments. I call those dark things that we invoke or that come to us against our will "gifts in ugly wrapping paper."

I love your poem and will add CHAOS to my reading wish list.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the author, and for the beautifully written poem.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sue. That's an interesting lateral response to the prompt. Thanks for your comment earlier. With regard to your student, I know a local politician who also has some perplexing views on homelessness. Tony Abbott, the shadow minister for Families, Communities and Indigenous Affairs (of all things) was recently reported to have stated that homelessness is a choice and you can't help people who choose to be homeless.

sgreerpitt said...

thanks for all the wonderful comments, they've actually given me something to think about, and wonder if I perhaps have misunderstood the person "she" to whom the poem refers. I've been assuming that the "it" she skirts around is death, and the "means" are some form of suicide. I would be happy if I were wrong.

Tumblewords: said...

Profound piece nicely done!

Anonymous said...

..thank u for a beautiful poem..

Rachel Green said...

Fabulous! Sage advice.