Toward the unknown (One Shoot Sunday)
*composed from a photograph of Feininger, Andreas 1906-1999
The journey slices
into our landscape:
masses of time shaped
into probabilities
a curve of doubt teetering
on the side of smoothened mounds
–a solid time our past–
veering off its mirrored likeness
the now
careening to a zipped line
the unseen our eternity.
Our heartbeats stall
among fissures of rock
the chasm in our feelings.
Scarred we cease at thought
–the beat pulses unfeeling.
Our fears swarm as
sounds in our being:
a rhythmic splicing
a phantom hand cutting
in swaths its mode a sharp embrace.
We drive on into the now
to the unknown cruising
the air a fragile silk–
if we could but leap
this landscape among clouds
would be but maps frayed
in the edges as maps to nowhere:
our unknown
the only now we know
is infinity in our journey.
I posted this poem for One Shoot Sunday at the One Stop Poetry blog.
Join us – throw in your verses. Here are the rules (taken directly off their blog):
1. Write a poetic piece & post it on your blog
2. Then let us know about your post. Link back to One Shot
3. Sign up in the Mr Linky list, linking directly to your post, AFTER you’ve posted it.
4. Go visit others who have signed up! Offer support & encouragement. Share your love of words and insight respectfully. Please try to visit as many participating poets as you can. We all could use and appreciate kind feedback.
What a wonderful poem. It rolls along so smoothly as we ponder the journey of life.
I’m glad you like it! Thanks, Gigi Ann.
Great imagery in your lines. My favorite is “the air a fragile silk–” Deep poem. Much said between the lines too. Cheers
I love how you note the most “inspired” line in my poems! But it’s me who has to thank you for this space that challenges poets to write a poem within hours. It seems to be working for me better than when I have all the time. Thanks again!
Beautiful lines, beautiful poem. Well done. Especially liked “the unseen our eternity.”
Thank you, Glynn. The line you love just arose in that image over the horizon. What else does one see beyond that line? And the words words just wrote themselves in.
By the way, I’ve been trying to write comments on your poems but always fail. I loved how you structured “parallels” and how you sustained the tension in this week’s of “contrasts”. Your poems read with that tension that keep the lines geared up to a fine finish! Thank you for sharing them.
i like how you embrace the unknown, the things ahead – great ending as well with
the only now we know
is infinity in our journey
Thank you so much, Claudia! Coming from you whose poems always run in superb lines, I’m honored.
Yes, I’d like to let you know I haven’t failed to read your poetry and always want to leave a comment but often fail. I find each of them amazing!
Too many excellent lines and images to count in this one. A fine comparison of the physical to the life journey, and a great deal of substance. The very first line is a killer, and I also liked “a curve of doubt teetering
on the side of smoothened mounds…” Seems like it was right there in the picture, but invisible til I read that line…that may be one definition of poetry. 😉
Enjoyed it all, as always, Alegria, very much.
Thank you so very much, Joy! I believe your generous and uplifting “reviews” as well as those of the other great poets here, challenge me or perhaps inspire me to reach for the next “fall gingko branch” (my idea of inspirational bliss). It does seem scary to fail but this space, this blog has made it less ridden with angst. Thank you for always being there!
The depth, the imagery striking… so much left to see within the open road views.
Thank you, Petrina! Ohhh…I feel that if I add another word, I might break the spell of your inspiring words.
Lots of great lines and imagery here!
“…Our heartbeats stall among fissures of rock the chasm in our feelings.”
Finding my lines and imagery “great” is humbling, Giovanni! I love that line about “heartbeats”, too! Thanks so much!