Today's in tandem poem is written by Angie Walker and Susie Clevenger. Angie and I came late to the pairing and virtually had no background on one another other than our poetry shared through the garden. After a few questions about ideas and the mutual agreement it would be without rhyme (big sigh of relief on my part) we found inspiration from a quote by Henry Rollins. We were quite amazed how quickly it came together. It appears September's Virgo was happy to be our muse.
"We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer's wreckage. We will welcome summer's ghost." ~ Henry Rollins
in the ghost leaves of summer,
their drought scarred palms lifted
to capture Aphrodite's sigh
suspended from the umber pause
between changing seasons, Virgo
speaks beatitudes from her book
of sun inked memoirs
blessed be
the dreamers,
the visionaries
who pull light from blind mist,
conjurers with ink and paint,
bold stargazers of the night walk
the poetry lovers
who steal pink skies
and stop sleuthing them
when it's no longer July forever
noses back to grindstone for at least 3 weeks
blessed be
the blood September can't stop letting
while she re-members
her bodiful heedless ventures,
her saturated sweetnesses,
seamless heat, sea to foam
blessed be
the exalted mother May I's,
the steamy air of Aphrodite
with pomegranates jewels
positioned on her tongue just
so it comes as a relief to get plucked
blessed be
don't you think at all?
behold the gods
in their Grecian white robes
and concur they look much less
like whores in brighter bridal months?
blessed be
a cousin's view
through the back door glass
of broken light where St. Michael
keeps on reciting what he's recited so well
through corsets with full-on lips
blessed be
the give-up of playful rain,
the build-up to "give up
on all other worlds
except for the one to which,
and for which you know you belong"
blessed be
the marked apparitions,
the calendar numbers circled in red
underlined and scribbled beneath,
"protect my soul 'neath thy wing,
with the shade of thy wing protect."
16 comments:
Love it guys, are you two joined at the ribs? Sisters?
.
blessed be
our readers dear and devoted
their blind love of verse grow
may their critical eye and mind
never lower their expectant standards
may we always write for just for them
..
What i luv about this poem is the medicine of Blessings that planet earth so critical needs right now, so effortlessly given.
This is definitely a read AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN
Much love...
This is quite sublime. I love the quote and such a description of September as I have never read before.
What a special treat to find this collaboration between two of my very favorite poets, Angie and Susie! It really couldn't help but be good, and it does not disappoint. I love the "blessed be"s throughout, and the ending left me sighing. Beautiful, artistic, evocative work, ladies.
This is incredibly beautiful!❤️ I love how your voices blend together and offer solace and blessings throughout the poem. Especially love; "blessed be the give-up of playful rain,the build-up to "give up on all other worlds except for the one to which, and for which you know you belong" .. Gorgeously done, Susie and Angie!❤️
As with all the collabs so far I find that you manage to tune into the same tone... normally I would find that your poetry has its own distinctive voice, but I find it impossible to tell apart.
Loved the quote and how you have evolved it with the repetitions of blessed be, that at first glance could be a hymn but goes much deeper, and now when October is knocking on my door, I feel I miss September just as much as summer.
I think this is how it feels when dying.
As a Virgo this resonates on so many levels.Just stunning.
Blessed Be.
@Jim, It was incredible working with Angie. We went from no idea to a quote and then it just took off from there. Thank you for your poetic response.
@Gillena, thank you. It felt good to write with Angie something that had roots and substance that would appeal to a varied readership.
@Kerry, thank you so much. I certainly see September differently myself.
@Fireblossom, thank you! I summoned Virgo and Aphrodite and well, Angie wrote her magic.
@Sanna, Thank you.. Angie, is incredible.
@Bjorn, Thank you. I certainly believe the quote brought our connection. September carries the dry leaves of summer with such grace.
@Paul, thank you so much
thank you, friends for reading. it was a breeze working with you Susie. i never had a sister, but i'd choose you if given the choice;) the Garden is a nice place to bloom, croak, or lounge on a lily pad.
Coming a bit late to this, I find myself enraptured like the others – and like them, amazed that two such distinctive voices blend so seamlessly here.
I was thrilled when I read where you got your inspiration for your amazing poem, as I am a fan of Henry Rollins and have seen him live several times in Norwich with the Henry Rollins Band and on his spoken word tour.
I love the form of the poem and the 'Handmaid's Tale' refrain of 'blessed be' which, for me, gives the poem a dark undertones. The autumnal imagery is so beautiful, from the 'ghost leaves of summer' with their 'drought scarred palms' to the visionaries 'who pull light from blind mist', the 'bold stargazers of the night walk', and the
'steamy air of Aphrodite
with pomegranates jewels
positioned on her tongue just
so it comes as a relief to get plucked'.
A seamless tandem of rhythm and luscious language, Susie and Angie!
You two rocked this poem. Absolutely beautiful, seamless and a work of art.
This is just lovely but also wonderfully fun. I love the way the tone changes and becomes wry as it moves along, and yet also has this sense of dusty (in a good way) dried rose petals over all, even if it laughs at itself and prays too. It really works well. (I somehow feel like I am at a cafe outside of the Recolleta in Buenos Aires - probably spelling it wrong--but it is a beautiful cemetery and yet it is also this great and wonderful meeting place.) Thanks. k.
@angie It was such a blessing to work with you and I too would gladly call you my sister.
@Rosemary Thank you so much!
@ Kim, thank you so much. I hadn't even thought of the Handmaid's Tale, but I can see it now you pointed it out!
@Karin, Thank you so much! I love where the poem took you!
may we always write for just for them
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Love all the blessings. I had a great time reading (and rereading) the first and second lines aloud.
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