James Rainsford, Statue of Richard Hooker
© James Rainsford Used With Permission
One Man's Trinity
Reason bids
I begin with a gathering
of one.
Tolerance asks
of you
freedom
to spread
my wings
before they are gilded
and clipped
by the sun.
Tradition holds
its place
even when walls
of belief fall,
leaving us each
to stand alone.
© 2011 Maureen E. Doallas
____________________________________
I wrote this poem for today's One Shoot Sunday event at One Stop Poetry, where you'll find Chris Galford's interview with writer, musician, and photographer James Rainsford and today's Picture Prompt Challenge.
Anyone may participate in today's challenge. Go here to read the interview and then scroll down for instructions for the poetry and flash fiction challenge.
James Rainsford's Website
Images by James Rainsford
The Sanctum of Sanity, James Rainsford's Blog
Posts
11 comments:
read it three times maureen - you packed quite a bit of content into these few lines - love the connection of the title with those last lines..
"before they are gilded
and clipped"
There are many ways to read this particular section, especially on gilded. In terms of celebrating human freedom and collective tolerance, i hope one man's Trinity is viewed as another human's respect.
Somber and effective - intense, perfect.
I agree with Claudia -- that how it weaves back to connect -- your words and us and the past and now.
and sometimes tradition clips those wings keeping faith grounded....
The lines dustus singled out also struck me, both in the imagery and referral back to the photo, and their implication that a bright light both enhances and limits our thoughts, which plays so well into your conclusion. I also, as always, enjoyed your mastery of the couplet.
I love the brevity and power of this poem Your wonderful economy of language make this piece very evocative. A very intelligent and well crafted write which gives the photo a special and profound significance. I admire this immensely. Thank you so much for revealing the more serious possible interpretations of my photo.
Kind regards, James.
And it's all thought and said in silence, the silence of stone. Good poem, Maureen.
I am still thinking this over...even after reading all the comments I am still spending brain cells over this. I'll be back in the morning to read again.
The brevity of this poem makes it all the more powerful, Maureen. I'm struck by "the freedom to spread my wings before they are gilded and clipped by the sun." Great take on the prompt!
I love your formal decisions...this poem works so well as a thin pillar.
Post a Comment