Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Silent Reward

cracked blue egg on the curb,
you spell summer's start
in letters all would know
should they just look down.

the chicks nest in tree limbs
that hang low over old
gray schist block walls,
inviting careless torpor
or juvenile prank
of those who might walk
along well-worn paths.

holly seeds decay, black and dry,
on hot concrete. the need
to multiply brooks no trammel,
maybe to root in the ruts
in the edifice of human design.

in shadows cast by the dawn,
there's no code to find,
no secret to decipher.
no stories that embody darkness.
memory seeks in vain
a tearless fountain
whose water cleans all
links to life beyond recall.

begin again life.
hope find silent reward.

(c) Copyright 2012 Charles David Miller. All rights reserved.

16 comments:

  1. hope finding silent reward...this sums it up so perfectly...and we know it will come...yet...it always surprises me...we know how it feels...still it feels new each year and i'm forever spellbound...love it charles

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  2. begin again life.
    hope find silent reward.... a perfect ending to a lovely poem!

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  3. The ruts do come to pass with time, as does everything I guess, such a great ending as sometimes the reward is hope finding us instead of us finding it.

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  4. smiles...this is spring to me, the renewal...the sun on my arms today is just amazing...and the air tastes so sweet with damp flower muck...but i have walked the ruts...and stumbled along in searchof it before as well...i think we all have in some way...may it findyou or you find it or...just colide...

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  5. I enjoy reading your work so much--well written--and I love the end---Lovely write----

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  6. Yes, when spring comes, she gets in all the words, doesn't she(I have an earlier one about pansies this week) you can't ignore her. I really like the way you've bounced around your word order, and put a sort of gentle blues under the new hope, which only makes it, of course, that much stronger and more miraculous.You make it seem even the abysmal 'ruts of our edifice' must be good for something.

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  7. Spring has been sneaking out of my pen lately too. Lovely.

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  8. The last two lines are lovely. I must say though that the first two lines got my attention (maybe because I just made dinner with eggs :-0)

    cracked blue egg on the curb,
    you spell summer's start

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  9. Strong piece Charles. Love the idea of the tearless yet cleansing fountain and hope find silent reward a lot. Very good use of description, really carried me through on numerous levels with such vision. Opening line is a fantastic. Very much enjoyed. Thanks

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  10. I like the crack of blue and the final lines.

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  11. I love this: "maybe to root in the ruts
    in the edifice of human design"

    And the cracked blue egg at the beginning.

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  12. The chicks in the their nests in trees overhanging the blocked schist walls...love that juxtaposition of nature and industry...finding spring and renewed hope in cracks of pavement in the form of bud silently and stubbornly pushing its way through...a favorite pastime of mine...Nature, change of seasons...all present, always..and especially spring does give renewed hope. Beautiful work, Chaz, as always!

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  13. 'begin again life'- in a way this was bitter sweet- the cracked egg on the curb ignored and trampled by many- but yes- a sure sign that spring is stirring. I loved the way that this piece says that 'life is ALL there is' regardless of what we build or construct. Life is pure- and becasue of this- it brings hope to all bound by the pains and barriers that we have constructed for ourselves. Your words are thought provoking as always- very much enjoyed- thank you!

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  14. An exquisite language sense pervades your work, Charles-- not to mention mastery of the craft. Thematically and linguistically, a timeless and elegaic sense to this poem-- I love -- no stories that embody darkness... and the rest. xj

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  15. Charles, this just "reek" of hope that comes with new birth. I look forward to your poetry and am happy you will be a part of dVerse. Anticipating your post!

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  16. "the need
    to multiply brooks no trammel" -

    and the pleasure in your work responds in same, nice work charles, thanks ;-)

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