JMW Turner, “Norham Castle Sunrise
“A few stars glimmered through the morn,
And down the thorn the dews were streaming.”
–Francis Ledwidge, “The Dead Kings”
Always the clouds come, drifting
colored in the hazy shades of after
though stars glimmer through, sifting
light diffused from ancient gas and matter,
colored in the hazy shades of after
time moves on, translucent or opaque—
light diffused from ancient gas and matter,
and so, we ache.
Time moves on. Translucent or opaque,
our thoughts grow dim and dark
and so, we ache—
forgetting glory, gone the spark,
our thoughts grow dim and dark
with spite, thinking of past wrongs,
forgetting glory. Gone the spark
of dead kings and their songs.
With spite, thinking of past wrongs,
we dream in owl-feathered night
of dead kings and their songs,
and wait for lark-trilled light.
We dream in owl-feathered night,
though stars glimmer through, sifting–
and wait for lark-trilled light,
but always the clouds come, drifting.
The prompt for Day 5 of NaPoWriMo was way too busy and complicated for me, as it involved “twenty different projects” to include in one poem. Instead, I went to the Oracle again for a start, then wrote a pantoum for Jane Dougherty’s Pictures and Poetry challenge based on the lines from Francis Ledwidge’s “The Dead Kings” and the Turner painting above.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
This poem drifts! The words and the images. Lovely, just like the painting, and drifting away from the dead kings and their darkness.
Thank you! It was a good prompt. 😀
🙂
Wow, so beautiful, Merril. I needed this, these words. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Cindy. That’s a lovely comment. I’m so pleased my words affected you this way.
I agree with you that today’s prompt is too much. I just posted yesterday’s, lol! Hoping to catch up today. I love the dreamy quality of this poem, Merril. Perfect for a Sunday!
Thank you so much, Charlotte!
Yeah–I saw some people went with the prompt, but it seemed kind of silly to me. I will go read yours (from yesterday) now. 😀
This is really beautiful, Merril. I think reading your daily poems cause me to dream about hummingbirds last night! 🙂 Have a peaceful Sunday.
Wow–Jill! I don’t think anyone has every told me before that my poetry influenced their dreams. Thank you! I’m glad I didn’t give you nightmares! Hahaha.
Lol! 😉
I am so glad you dissed the prompt and went with this wonderful pantoum (still on my to-try list)
I agree with Jane, it drifts as if from the lightest of breezes. I drifted alone with it – and perfect timing because it is positively dreary here.
Thank you so much, Dale! 😀
I tend to just start writing with poetry, but once I start the pantoum and write a stanza or two, I figure out how it will fit for the last stanza, and then sometimes I go back to change the wording a bit (if that makes sense, and if that helps you.)
My pleasure.
And you know it’s just a question of time before I try. Hell, you got me to try a friggen CLEAVE poem… 😉
😂
If you’re interested, I believe today is quadrille Monday on dVerse–any type of poem, 44 words. You’ll have to wait till 3 to see the prompt word. 😀
Subtle, Merril… very subtle! 😉
However, I shall wait and hope I can merge it with a picture from another prompt that I have been writing, chucking, writing, chucking…
😀
we dream in owl-feathered night
of dead kings and their songs,
and wait for lark-trilled light. …. How very beautiful Merril.
Thank you so much, Rene!
You’re welcome 😊
So attuned to the painting. Just like a cloud. And you got the feeling of sorrow in as well. (K)
Thank you very much, Kerfe. I’m glad that all came through.
Nice imagery and seamless rhyme
Thank you very much, Derrick!
This is really beautiful … so glad you went with your instincts 🙂
Thank you so much! 😀
Quite a few different emotions evoked here Merril … it shakes me up a bit. Thank you ..
Thank you, Susan. These are strange times we’re living in. It doesn’t take much to get emotional.
A pantoum? You did an excellent job. I loved reading this Merrill
Thank you so much! I haven’t written a pantoum in a while, and I saw someone else had written one for this prompt.
I find the poems where you repeat lines from previous verses very challenging but this feels effortless
Thank you! That’s very kind.
I think you made an excellent choice…. Twenty different projects sounds far too complicated to read, much less write. Great job!
Thank you!
Yes, it seemed way too complicated to me.
LOL!