My Lady of the Longest Light,
you've stretched out the noon
to the edge of that awful acre
between the night and moon
where darkness creeps the silence
like a dream slips into sleep
and takes the flesh of sunset
firm between its teeth.
My Lady of the Longest Light,
you fret the unthreshed row.
You worry the wheat, worry the chaff;
but, you can let it go
and leave these labors to the living
harvest of your years.
Rest easy; for you, lady,
night shall hold no fear.
A harvest moon ballad for Real Toads and dVerse.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
About Me
- Maude Lynn
- Anybody who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days. ---Flannery O'Connor
32 comments:
the flesh of sunset...ewww i Love that....
Ah, yes! I love it too, as always!
great write
flesh of sunset - that's a striking image MZ.
This is a really strong ballad; perfect rhythm and meter. The repetition of the opening line is a really effective device too.
Absolutely beautiful and moody with sexy woven through. I admire your poetic skill. I could not get through the math of figuring out writing a ballad.
This ballad combines light and dark so that I feel for the lady who wants to protect hr last rows of harvest from the teeth of the beast that chews her lesh. You honor her task and reassure her grace. How hard to let go of our children!
oh, beautiful... love, love that first stanza especially. !
It's hard to let go to the part of yourself, but it feels right. Vivid ballad.
The wonder of the harvest, the influence of the moon. Man and womankind shall do her labours.
Excellent write.
Anna :o]
I love the second stanza:
"where darkness creeps the silence
like a dream slips into sleep
and takes the flesh of sunset
firm between its teeth"
Illuminating!
This:
" takes the flesh of sunset
firm between its teeth."
and the following stanza!!
Love the entire poem!! Brimming of your unique voice!
Don't often say this, but wish I had written even one line of this--the first stanza is like finely wrought gold-work, from which the rest of the gems dangle, each one a slightly different faceted color from blood ruby to amethyst, shining in the pearl moon. On my bald dome.
flesh of sunset
don't think I'll ever look at one again without this trope buzzing or floating, even if in background.
This is beautiful, MZ.
A ballad and a Harvest moon poem in one beautiful swoop of marvelous, delicious, colorful words.
Goodness. Gorgeous.
Especially:
"and takes the flesh of sunset
firm between its teeth."
I really enjoyed the second verse..beautiful
Ah, lovely. Especially love this idea of the flesh of sunset between the teeth - just terrific. Thanks, MZ. k.
What a beautiful ballad.
This has a classic feel to it.
Wow. Strong and powerful imagery. How often do we worry about the small things in life! I especially like the second stanza!
Gorgeous, intriguing, perfectly written.
Moody and delightful...lovely piece!!
I adore this, it has such a consistent feel to it, a really strong voice. The 'flesh of the sunset' phrase is so full of imagery - I see dagger-sharp teeth dripping with the blood of the setting sun. Wonderful!
Great combo of both the ballad and the Harvest moon combined. Nicely MZ!
Hank
The title is a great as the writing beneath it...
I love to see brilliance unfold before my eyes.
vivid...the taking of the flesh of sunlight between the teeth....yikes...def wakes one/shakes one up...
I too am drawn to the flesh-teeth image. I think because it puts large scale entities like darkness & sunset into human terms, because "flesh" sounds (and the sunset's colours look) sensuous, and because there are pleasing ambiguities about what it means to take something in one's teeth (e.g., a horse takes a bit thus).
Are you getting ready for October already. Great write here. Lots of images, fast paced. Well done!
I too like this line:
takes the flesh of sunset
firm between its teeth.
Lovely work on the ballad form ~
I love this poem.
Post a Comment