Discover more from Soaring Twenties
It’s been a little while but today we have some poetry to share with you via STSC community member Norman Plumage. Coincidentally it is also just over a year ago since he first joined out ranks so what better way to commemorate that than with a showcase in this here Substack.
As a group I would say that our community strikes a balance between reverence for art and beauty and a sense of irreverence when it comes to rules and straightjacketing structures (as point number 10 of The Code attests). And I think this dynamic is perfectly illustrated by today’s offering- a work that takes traditional Japanese poetic forms and bends them into new shapes.
Enjoy.
Poet’s Forward
I don’t wish to bore anyone with a history or even brief guide on Renku in this piece, nor do I intend to mask as an expert in Japanese poetry, as near every rule of Haiku and Renku is broken in the following work to follow the poet’s own inclinations and admiration of Japanese poetic form.
spring morning unable to find a shirt without a stain guzzling an energy drink the bee goes flower to flower midday nap a memory of you passes as azaleas bloom viewing the sunset this evening thankful the god don’t charge money bike ride home counting the miles between us me and the moon such passionate love songs the chorus of the frogs morning walk both a/c and bugs humming this southern life both a blessing and a curse this cold soda pop rain shower memories of you pass drop by drop trying to collect water in paper envelopes tending the weeds the past and future become muddled i pour another drink a new drinking buddy every new memory table for one ordering all your favorites after your passing trying to call home skylark’s song evening chill unable to close the distance your absence travelling miles and miles within a single thought short of breath grateful for every moment with you up these hills considering all options while being bedridden the sun shines no matter what on us all closing my my weary eyes my face before i was born
Unexpectedness on every line! Such a beautiful poem - wow.
"memories of you pass
drop by drop
trying to collect water
in paper envelopes"
Chills and thrills in equal measure. Thank you!
Unable to find a shirt without a stain. :)
There these days, as well.
Beautiful.