Consoled by Poetry: On Death, Glimpses of Glory ~ BitterSweetLife

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Consoled by Poetry: On Death, Glimpses of Glory



Boethius said something about the consolation of philosophy. So why not philosophic poetry? As Summer buries itself in a pile of leaves, I keep thinking about cause and effect; acts and their consequences. Evasive clues point back to unmistakable causes.

Sound through Water, Sin through Time

60 feet out and underwater
I heard the tether cables rattle
as the dock again went spinning
courtesy of my brother.

Walking beneath a summer shade tree
I caught the fleeting smell of autumn
as the leaves in twos were dying
courtesy of Adam.

A related poem about Summer's death revealing "thin places"


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6 comments:

Tim P. said...

I like this poem a great deal!

The two stanzas have a beautiful sort of divergent symmetry that connects two hugely distant events in less than 50 words.

I know it's early for this sort of conjecture, but this poem has made quite a good impression on me--it may be one of your better short poems.

Skyephire said...

The angle.. the symmetry.. unusual. Good!

Carmen said...

ahhhh, you said boethius... he's a happy thought.

AJ said...

Thanks for the thought, Tim. Perceptive commentary on poetry is a rare gift, and I put some stock in your analysis.

Warrior, ying/yang is fairly antithetical to my perspective, but I agree that contrast is helpful to get a point across. I'll take a look at your site.

Nightskye, Camille, thanks for the comments. Everyone should read more Boethius. ;)

Ryan Henderson said...

i really love the phrase "courtesy of adam." it's haunting in some way.

Charles Churchill said...

Always a pleasure to read the things you take the time to write. I posted my impressions here

 

Culture. Photos. Life's nagging questions. - BitterSweetLife