10.15.2010

Magpie Fri . . . day.

  



Squint


Sometimes I want to see --
my eyes crystal balls
my world a fortune cookie
split wide and spilling its ribbons
of truth across my plate

See past the dark door
its slim beckoning finger of light
an arrow across my threshold
its eyes already accustomed
to the brightness of what comes

Look a crooked line
a periscope, a trick of time
taking the corners at a run
no blink, no flinch
my steady gaze
straight ahead and knowing
where I'll go next


--smh



This poem is a Magpie Tale.  I loved this prompt!
If it speaks to you as well, write your own and share it with the class.



I think it grabbed me because 
many things in my life seem precarious right now.  




Things always are, of course, 
only sometimes we see the edge of the cliff 
we walk along much more clearly.



There was a tragic story in the paper yesterday about a runner who hopped over a cement barricade and fell to his death.  He was the victim of an optical illusion -- it appeared that the trail continued on the other side, but that was another part of the trail.  He could not see the gap with the 25 foot drop.  When his mother dropped him off for his run, he said, "Let me out here.  I know where I am."


I know where I am, too.  

And the trick is to keep running, because running is the only way forward.
But there are times when I wonder what I can't see.




Run, Susan, run,  
but mind the gap. 





    

11 comments:

Leenie said...

Yes, RUN! But mind the gap.

Tess Kincaid said...

Reminds me of Joan Webster in "I Know Where I'm Going". Mind that crooked line!

susan m hinckley said...

I've not seen "I Know Where I'm Going." I'm going to have to watch it, because now I'm intrigued.

Kristen Haskell said...

Wonderful take of this weeks prompt. Beautifully written. So much talent you have, I visited your esty and I am in love with your art!

Allie said...

Love your poem - but what a tragic tale about the runner. I guess I should be thankful my feet have slowed me down to a crawl....the only place I run now is in my imagination.

Brian Miller said...

nice. i really like the fortune cookie imagery spillin ribbons across the plate...and the perisope..nice magpie

gautami tripathy said...

You write very well!

fortune tellers

Berowne said...

Yes, always look forward "to the brightness of what comes."

Tumblewords: said...

Superb writing - unfortunate about the young runner and his mother who will forever feel guilty.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

love the metaphors.
brilliant tale.

Unknown said...

you write so beautifully, such luscious imagery.

so sad about that runner... his last words were so profound.

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