Sunday, June 15, 2008

One Single Impression: Transience or Permanence


This week's prompt for One Single Impression was "transience or permanence." This is sort of a hodge-podge of thoughts and ideas, plus two poems for my tree that got struck by lightning yesterday afternoon. Half of it was struck away and I'm hoping that the other half will survive. Everything is haiku except this first one.

Because we do not fear it,
We let laughter flow through us

Transient, healing, pure
But shame holds anger permanent
Intransigent as stone
Weighing us down like lead
Maybe we should find a way
To move the anger through
And hang on to the laughter





Transient as days
Time befriends eternity
Vast as an instant



Moment by moment
Eternity finds itself
Fluid and constant




What was God thinking
My flaws are steady as rocks
My virtues fleeting



21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Raven, while I like them all, the first poem and the last haiku are my favorites. I like the nuggets of truth they contain. I like the way they make me think. Sorry about your tree!

Roswila said...

I think I was a druid in a former life (:-D), so your lightning struck tree photos and 'kus really touched me.

And your last one, yes, here too. I frequently wonder at this odd mix in myself.

maryt/theteach said...

Katherine, I'm so sorry about your tree... Your last haiku is excellent! I ask the same question!

Geraldine said...

Well done Raven, beautifully expressed. I'm sorry about the damage to your tree.

www.mypoeticpath.wordpress.com

SandyCarlson said...

I feel these! I ache when I see a tree destroyed by man or nature. Such grand and beautiful life that takes so long to mature....I like all you've done here. And I agree that shame makes anger a permanent condition. What a strange thing.

I enjoy the way you explore the nuances of the prompts from week to week. Thanks.
Writing in Faith: Poems

Carletta said...

Wonderful post Raven. I hardly know where to begin because they are all so well done.
I love the collage of the tree.

me ann my camera said...

Your poetry is so powerful and thought provoking and I always look forward to reading your offering. Your mention of your tree being hit by lightening reminds me of a favourite tree of mine along an old logging road. It is remarkable as half of it is scarred and dead with no appearance of life, yet jutting out from it, near the top, like an isolated peninsula are a few wonderful green branches waving in the breezes, full of life admid the scars. Your mention of lightning hitting your tree and some of the the words in your first poem brought that image to mind. Lovely.

nature tales and camera trails

qualcosa di bello said...

each one more amazing than the last as i read through! it was as though you were marinading in this prompt!!! very wise, humorous, philosophical, beautiful!

Quiet Paths said...

Raven, these are all are really good but that last one is brilliant. ~wow!

Anonymous said...

You always give us so much to think about with your wonderful poems and I love that we get several. Perfect photos also.

Barb said...

Wow! Raven, these are all so wonderful. I loved them all! The 'moment by moment' haiku made to stop and ponder it. My heart breaks every time a tree is struck down. Last year was devasting to my pecan trees. I actually cried each time a limb broke.

Anonymous said...

"moment- Eternity- Time -lightning"-a backdrop of thoughts and feelings-in the foreground beauty and truth-"wise, humorous, philosophical"-many thanks..

Anonymous said...

So sorry about your tree. I like trees more than I like some people.

I can identify with that last poem for sure.

Pearl said...

ok you did it. you chuckled me with recognition: What was God thinking
My flaws are steady as rocks
My virtues fleeting

gautami tripathy said...

I love tree and it truly pains me when one is struck down for whatever reason. I feel your loss.

I like the last one best. The starting verse is great too.

yearning

Gemma Wiseman said...

Adore this rolling over of perspectives.

Tumblewords: said...

I love this selection! Variety and honesty!!

indicaspecies said...

Sorry about your beloved tree.

I like your post, and I particularly love this Haiku where these 10 days speak volumes:

Transient as days
Time befriends eternity
Vast as an instant

A nice blog here and I shall be returning, now that I've made new virtual friends through OSI.:)

indicaspecies said...

ten words*

haha..guess I was affected long distance by the storm too.;)

Anonymous said...

I really like the "Eternity" haiku. Very nice.

DeLi said...

oh for that transient beauties,
so heartwarming
yet so fleeting

poignant rave, so poignnat