The earth murmurs ancient heart-songs.
Hear them in root-rush and rock-rhythms
tapped by sea-spray rainbows.
The eagle’s whistle slices the peached-tipped clouds–
life and death balanced. Hand-in-hand, we watch the light glide through
love-grief fault lines, as the ghosts dance at the river’s edge.
A quadrille (a poem of exactly 44 words) for dVerse where De asks us to use the word heart. I could have gone in so many directions!
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Sooooo gorgeous, Merril. Goodness. The photo is stunning, and I can almost literally hear and see the movement and magic in these lines:
“Hear them in root-rush and rock-rhythms
tapped by sea-spray rainbows”
So good.
Thank you so very much, De! 💙💙
I’m so pleased you liked it.
Root-rush…. I just love that, such intensity of nature if we just listen. The use of hyphens in this poem is wonderful
Thank you so much, Björn!
I can just picture those ghosts dancing! I like how you used hyphens to form some beautiful compound words, and give a wonderful flow to your quadrille.
Thank you so much, Ingrid!
Merril,
I love the Gerard Manly-Hopkins feel to this, that rush of expectation in the alliteration and rhythms of the verse, neatly enfolded “at the river’s edge.”
pax,
dora
Thank you so much for your very thoughtful comment, Dora. I hadn’t thought of Gerard Manly-Hopkins, but I love that you did!
This is a beautiful piece, wonderfully crafted, and so vivid! I love the pictures you’ve painted. Cheers 💕
Thank you so much for your kind words! 💙
You’re so very welcome!
Your opening line is magical
Happy Monday
Much❤love
Thank you so much, Gillena! 💙
Did you see what we did? We wrote the same poem! Bar the ghosts and blackbirds!
Maybe we really are the same person! 🤣
And this was without the Oracle. Except that I suppose she’s always there in the background, directing operations 🙂
Yes, I think that’s exactly right. She’s always around. 😀
I’m still pondering those two poems. They really are very alike and with only one word a priori to link them.
I will have to look at yours again.
The beat of the earth’s heart, the birds and the river.
Love it all especially the sea-spray rainbows. Well done M.
Thank you, Ron.!
Mm, I always-love hyphens. That aside, you’ve proven yourself remarkably skilled with your wordcraft, here – goodness me, I simply adore the powerful grace behind the imagery you’ve painted here. I am bewitched.
Wow–thank you so much!
This is a stunning poem. I love every part of it. The photo, the rhythm, the sounds, the love and attention to nature. 💖
That is such a lovely comment, Helene. Thank you so much! ❤️
Your welcome. Thank you for sharing such a lovely poem. ❤️
❤️
Wow! Obviously your incredible photographs are providing abundant inspiration. Beautiful, Merril!
Thank you very much, Jill!
In this case, the poem came first, and then I used this photo again. 😀
Everything you need is there, at the river’s edge. Such a beautiful literal and metaphorical rendering.
Thank you so much, Lisa!
You’re most welcome.
A rousing standing ovation from my corner of the world, Merril. This is absolutely exquisite!
Thank you so much, Beverly. I appreciate your kind words!
I like this very much. This is my favorite line:
“The eagle’s whistle slices the peached-tipped clouds–”
Just because I love the sound of an eagle’s whistle, and I appreciated being reminded of that!
Thank you so much, Liz. I’m glad I reminded you how much you like the eagle’s whistle. 😀
You’re welcome, Merril. For the longest time, I didn’t know what that sound was.
I get confused with hawk whistles and eagle whistles, but. .. I hear both around here this time of year. 😀
They’re interchangable to me. 😉
😀
Such beautiful words. Lovely quadrille.
Thank you so much!
So lovely, enjoyed the imagery of earth’s heart-song! 💓
Thank you very much, Tricia! 💙
“…light glide through love-grief fault lines, …”
There is SO much poetry in this one line, I wish I had written it!
Thank you so much!
Love this!
Thank you, Lucy!
this is beautiful, poignant and sombre… a reflection of my own feelings at this time. Very lovely.
Thank you so much!
I love the direction you took! The beautiful timelessness of your verse took my breath away. ❤️
Thank you so much! 💙
My pleasure. 😊
A beautiful earth-song, wish we all humans hear it.
Thank you very much!
ooooooooooh. love the creative turn you did here. especially with the alliteration – root-rush and rock-rhythms
Thank you so much! 💙
More lovely blending of sight and sound
Thank you very much, Derrick.
I love every single hyphenated term of yours, Merril. And – LOVE LOVE LOVE this:
Wowzers!
❤
David
Thank you so very much, David! ❤️
Enchanted verse! Breathtakingly beautiful.
Thank you very much, Susan!
This verse has a lovely staccato rhythm to it, begs to be read out loud!
Thank you so much!
I could see and hear the images in this poem. Very well composed, Merril.
Lovely! Thank you so much!
🙂 Of course. I could.
Beautiful quadrille .. sigh.
Thank you so much, Helen.
This is lovely. ❤
Thank you so much! 💙
Stunning, Merril.
I do believe you could have gone in many directions, and the direction you chose is brilliant.
Obviously inspired partly by that beautiful Delaware river!
Thank you very much, Resa! 💙
Gorgeous Merril. ‘love-grief fault lines’- big sigh.
Aww–thank you, Linda! 💙
You’re welcome!
The poem is lovely and then picture just really ties it in a nice bow.
Thank you very much!
This is absolutely stunning, stunning work Merril 😀 I especially love; “The eagle’s whistle slices the peached-tipped clouds–life and death balanced.”💝💝
Thank you so much, Sanaa! ❤️
Beautiful poem with a beautiful picture. Loved this👌🏼
Thank you so much!
Beautiful in all ways. I love the visual I momentarily received with “sea-sprayed rainbows.” 🙂
Thank you very much, Robin!
Why do you think ghosts congregate at the river’s edge?
Well, why not? There was a battle there, shipwrecks, drownings. . .and someone told me he saw ghosts there. But also, it’s just a poem. 😏
Yeah. haha I think it may be because a river is going somewhere. And every ghost has somewhere they need to go, too…
Perhaps so.
There is a sense of Calmness in this stunning picture. Beautifully written ❤️
Thank you!