Sunday, March 10, 2013

If You're a Dreamer, Come In (Pantoum)

If You're a Dreamer, Come In 

If you're a dreamer, come in.
Get wet. Swallow the light —
diamonds cut none brighter.
Curl green waves into foam.

Get wet. Swallow the light
as a mountain the sea takes.
Curl green waves into foam.
Algal blooms conceal what voids.

As a mountain the sea takes,
so clouds break, dividing over blue.
Algal blooms conceal what voids.
Red tides deplete, consume.

So, clouds break, dividing over blue
sky. Dark-faced Asperatus storms.
Red tides deplete, consume.
Shake your waterglobe. Now let it clear.

Sky, dark-faced: Asperatus storms.
Cold north wind roughs up the sea.
Shake your waterglobe now. Let it clear,
if you're a dreamer. Come in.

© 2013 Maureen E. Doallas
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This poem is my response to Tess Kincaid's photo prompt at Magpie TalesMeal Beach, Burra Isles, Shetland by Robin Gosnall (see Gosnall's photostream at Flickr and at Glass Onion). 

Go here to see the image at Magpie Tales, read other writers' poems or flash fiction pieces, or drop a link to your own contribution.

Read the explanation for the contemporary version of the Poetic Form: Pantoum. (The pantoum is this month's theme at TweetSpeakPoetry.)

Asperatus is the name given to a new type of cloud formation that is described at The Cloud Appreciation Society as "look[ing] a little like the surface of the sea on a choppy day". The term comes from the Latin verb aspero, meaning to roughen. According to The Cloud Appreciation Society, Roman poets used the term to describe the sea as it was roughed up by the cold north wind. I've appropriated the description for use in my poem.

A waterglobe also is known as a snow globe or snowdome.

The first line of my poem comes from the Shel Silverstein invitation that opens his second collection Where the Sidewalk Ends (HarperCollins, 1974, 2004).

14 comments:

PirateGunn said...

Well those lovely sets of words really spoke to me! Very nice!

Berowne said...

Wonderful - and kind of mind-blowing...

Tess Kincaid said...

I love the notion of swallowing light...

Truedessa said...

Lovely poem with great imagery..enjoyed this one..

Belva Rae Staples said...

I think I'll go shake my waterglobe right now. I need to clear up a few things. Thanks, I love this!

DCW said...

I like the rhythm you create.

Laura said...

Swallow the light...yes, this is the perfect phrase for the dreaming. Such a lovely pantoum, Maureen. I am waiting for your second volume of poetry :)

signed...bkm said...

Beautiful and filled with image, color and the clear...lovely read thank you...bkm

Theresa Milstein said...

I didn't know the term asperatus. What a pleasing word to use!

Susan Anderson said...

Enjoyed the form.
And I am a lover of waterglobes.

=)

hyperCRYPTICal said...

I'd love to come in.

Anna :o]

Jodi @ Heal Now said...

I love the imagery!

Carrie Van Horn said...

Breathtaking....i love this....Maureen....every single line!!

~T~ said...

The form fits the waving sea so well. Nice!