You
solid
and true
I come outside
take a breath.
Itโs strange I have to
make myself
step outside the glass
to properly be,
as though Iโm ever afraid of feeling cold
when in fact,
the cold enlivens me.
You
are there
solid and true
You never seem
to change your mood.
The winds can try to blow you down
the constellations can spin around
but you
are always
solid and true.
And yet it is as
though your energy
reaches me
through and through
As though all movement of god
is at the core of you
and as though if I listen with my body
and my breath
and my bow
You tell me of the slow-changing nature
of
solidity,
too
.
.
***
Image: by Adam Noack. “Art is something that happens.”
Title: The French word branchement means “connection.”
This poem sat untouched in my drafts since 2020-03-10 15:27 (according to the history timestamp ;)). The temperature here in Auvergne has since warmed, but the sentiment remains the same. A recent comment-conversation about process, on one of my other blogs, sobrietytree.com, with the amazing Rachel from InMindAndOut, about her latest galactically-gorgeous poem called “Touch,” got me to check my drafts folder here at Bloomwords, this morning, and as a result, pick this one out for the publish-button. ๐ฑ With gratitude for all the enlivening conversations on WP.
Happy spring! Let’s try to make the bloom-synergizing best, out of everything. โ๏ธ๐ป
p.s. Always grateful for your stars (“likes” ;)) and beautiful words. ๐ To paraphrase Kim, in a different comment-conversation, they are like a loving touch in the dark. ๐๐ซย Thank you. ๐ย ๐
I love this!
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Thank you Vanessa!!
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โค๏ธ
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Such a gem you had in your drafts folder, and I am so unbelievably happy that our conversation prompted you to go and rescue and post it. Youโve made my evening dear friend (and I really should be in bed).
I love how in the poem you talk about something solid and true as having energy. A beautiful diametric for a person to possess, such a basis for connection and relationships.
โbut you
are always
solid and true.
And yet it is as
though your energy
reaches me
through and throughโ
Wonderful Nadine! Xoxox
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Thank you Rachel (also for staying up so late – I can oft relate. ;)) Your kind words mean a lot to me, as always. And yes, this is about divine energy. Namely in a particular tree I know, but also in certain people, sometimes apparent through their zen-like quality, or in their inspiring artistry. Hugs and thanks :)))) xoxoxoxoxo
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This part really intrigued me: “Itโs strange I have to / make myself / step outside the glass
to properly be, / as though Iโm ever afraid of feeling cold / when in fact, / the cold enlivens me.” It feels possible that it is both a physical stepping out into the world and a metaphysical sense of stepping outside boundaries, out of our comfort zone. And I also sense that glass has a reflection quality to it, as well as something we can see through but shields us from getting to the other side, but also it can be broken easily. For the narrator to be themselves “properly” or truly they must go past that glass. I think a whole essay could be written on that part alone. Nice work.
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WOW! Benjamin, you’ve perceived the part of the whole. And the whole of the part. Great perception must in part come from your own great art! To drop the rhyme for a mo, this really helps me though. Perhaps with that novel, that we were chatting about a while ago. (Damn! I can’t seem to get out of rhyming mode. ;)) But you get the picture. Glass and boundaries have recurring themes for me. In my literature. Thanks so much for all your help and insightful feedback. It means a lot.
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That’s nice. They say all artists have they common themes that surround their work over and over again. I think something such as glass has so many uses and meanings so it really can be used in a variety of ways. I love how you say this: “youโve perceived the part of the whole. And the whole of the part.” That’s a nice way to say something like this. You’re a great thinker on many levels.
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So true about the glass, and so many other metaphors too.
And thank you! That is a compliment that truly warms my heart. Especially coming from a great thinker like you.
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I love this…and i think i will love all your other posts so i’ll hop in around..
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Oh how lovely, thank you for visiting, Mich! :))
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This is such a beauty and I am so happy you posted this! How wonderful to have solid connections. Nadine, this is lovely. ๐โค๏ธ๐ท
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Connection is all around us and through us, if we take a moment to feel it, it’s true. Thanks so much for your comment, it’s lovely like you. ๐๐๐
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Absolutely…we are what we are because of our connections! You are so welcome, my dear. ๐คโค๏ธ๐
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๐๐งก๐โจ๐๐ฟ
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This is a great poem! It gives me so much to think about. It’s a human experience we all can relate to. And something about a divine connection too, without being overly religious. Beautiful!
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Thank you so much Chris!! I so much appreciate your comments!
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What a lovely poem Nadine. Q1 – what was your inspiration for this? Q2 – curious about your process and draft folder. Quite rare for me to have anything unpublished on WP. Do you write and then wait for the right moment fir that particular piece?
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๐”fir” – that is too good. Thank you for making me smile.
And I love that you ask this! Q1 – divine energy, as sometimes experienced through a spiritual “relationship” I have with this very tall and beautiful linden tree outside our house.
Q2 – I just looked and saw that I now have 232 published (whether privately or not) posts in this blog, and 45 drafts. Drafts are what happen when I start something but feel I can’t get it right – as in this post. I started it, then wanted to shape it into a tree, then got hung up on other technicalities, then ran out of time and let it be. (Other times I don’t publish a draft if I feel too emotional about the subject of it – because I normally write from some strong emotion). Mostly my drafts just sit there and nothing happens with them since I move on to other things. Then when Rachel and I had this synergistic convo around her poem this morning (or her night-time), and how she’d pulled it out of her drafts folder, I got motivated to have a look at mine over here, and this one was the first to grab my eye, because of the title, and due to feeling “connected” in that moment. I didn’t bother editing it, I just let it be as it was… perfectly imperfect. ;))
It’s neat that you don’t have unpublished drafts – maybe you compose outside of WP. I seem to only compose in the various blog editors these days. That doesn’t make logical sense, except that it lets the writing happen for me.
Always appreciate you and your wonderful comments, Matthew. Thank you. :))
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I instinctively like that way of working – filing pieces away until they feel ripe for publishing. I mostly work off Word but like the idea of drafts sitting there, vying for publishing like chicks waiting to be fed! Thanks for letting us know your writing habits – always interesting to hear how others work!
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Aw nice. So many good writers out there just using Word. It doesn’t need to be complicated does it! Thanks for your process notes too.
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Loved this one Nadine! Sometimes we have little hidden gems that grow to big, beautiful poetry! Lovely writing…and may you stay warm in Auvergne…here it is not that warm as it was a couple of weeks ago…we are down to 10 degrees and cloudy, not like Valencia at all…All the best,
Francesc
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Thank you Francesc! Wow yes I guess it is usually pretty hot in Valencia, I met some folks from Ibiza, they say the best time is spring and fall there. Here it is not hot by any means, but balmy for sure (19C or so), which is just wonderful, though I just see now that it’s predicted to go cooler again. All the best to you too :))
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Always a pleasure Nadine
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Bon jour,
Connexion entre le souffle du texte et du tableau …
Max-Louis
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Bonsoir Max-Louis! Merci pour ton gentil commentaire… le tableau est magnifique… J’ai eu de la chance de l’avoir trouvรฉ. Vous avez des beaux รฉcritures sur votre blog… merci pour votre visite de retour. :))
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Nothing like poetry to calm the nerves, Nadine. Hope you are all healthy and staying so. oxo
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True that, Pam. :)) Yes we’re fine thanks, hope you are as well! xoxo
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๐๐๐
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My sentiments exactly. Been a week since I have not been outside. Thank goodness for a sunny balcony. This reminds me.. I have to write. Been concentrating too much on job applications.
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Sorry Bea that I missed this one somehow… sorry to hear about the not being outside, understandable with covid. Glad you have a sunny balcony. Good luck with the job applications.
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Oh my I love this one, Nadine!
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Oh thank you Katy! So nice to see you here! ๐ค
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