Along this part of the road
That need never be mowed
If you reach down with your bare hands
You will feel the jagged remains
Of a beer can
A broken milk bottle
A clay dish
A buckle
More (there is always more)
There are stories
In the cast off,
Forgotten bits
Fallen from trucks
Wagons, carts
Hands that
Want emptiness
Over time.
Dig deep
With your bare hands.
You will find story.
More (there is always more)
There are stories
In the cast off,
Forgotten bits
Fallen from trucks
Wagons, carts
Hands that
Want emptiness
Over time.
Dig deep
With your bare hands.
You will find story.
An oubliette is a dungeon; the word comes from the French for "forgotten place." While considering this prompt, I got to thinking that forgotten places begin at the surface of who we are and can be infinitely deep. What the bits and pieces we try to forget tell us about ourselves can be startling.
33 Comments
so true, especially along highways. There are always those volunteers who pick up litter along the roadsides and the signs that say DON'T LITTER but many ignore them sadly.
ReplyDeleteSo true, my mind wanders often in the same direction when seeing discarded items in the most unusual places. I often see stories in them, while I contemplate their origins and wonder who were the owners, who tossed these away so carelessly, or who simply just lost these items...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem.;)
Have a lovely weekend,
xo
Beautiful, if sad thoughts and it does make you wonder who and from where and why do they care so little for their environment??? Have a great weekend, Sandy!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Wow..! You painted it with ease! Beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteI love this:) There are stories everywhere, indeed. We just have to look.
ReplyDeleteWe cover our sins or do we relie on nqature
ReplyDeletewhen our civalication is dug up what will impress the insects
Sandy: You made a beautiful poem from trash.
ReplyDeleteUgh this sent shivers.
ReplyDeleteI am afraid to walk barefoot in the sand because of what underneath like broken glass. I remember going into the water and stepping on broken glass which cut a deep gash on the sole of my foot and it took ages to heal and left a scar.
Sometimes they have nails which go right through your shoe.
I am not pleased with people who don't care and think this is funny to hurt someone like this. Its plain bad behavior and there is no excuse for it.
Speaking of oubliettes, I found an old diary of 1973-74. It took me deep into the oubliette of that time period. I love it when you introduce new words. I am ready for a Scrabble game now. tee hee.
ReplyDeletehello Sandy,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you stopped by, inspiring me to visit and read your wonderful poem. I love your take on this prompt. I have been so busy lately, summer, two blogs, photos, work etc. that I have not been joining OSI as much. I actually miss this. I will be back soon. Again, I really enjoyed your poem.
"you will find story."
ReplyDeletegreat post.
Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
Sandy, it's true, things may have unbelievable stories: it's so nice to think about them, to imagine them. Very fine poem, I enjoy it a lot.
ReplyDeletevery nice poem, sandy...fresh air to my heart....
ReplyDeletehttp://graceolsson.com/blog/2010/06/my-brother-in-law-passed-away/
That's how the storyteller works - looking at the smallest things in the world and making them magnificent.
ReplyDeletestories are hidden sometimes, it just takes a good story-teller to dig them out
ReplyDeleteIt is always interesting to see what has been left behind! Great story
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
Pure Magic.
ReplyDeleteThere is much truth here. It has always been fascinating to me to find little clues to a person's life.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Sandy...:)
ReplyDeleteThose bits and pieces we want to put in garbage, those we want to forget will always come back like those thrash we've thrown, the wind will blow it away but may come back accidentally to where it came from.
Thanks for this...and thanks for your encouraging comments in my blog. Thanks Sandy!
If one has an inclination
ReplyDeleteand
a heart for it,
Every bit has a story...
Indeed.
I like where you went with this prompt. The forgotten places brought to light.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written, Sandy. You made simple trash more - it all has a tale to tell; a person whose hand it fell from had a story we can consider.
ReplyDelete- Dina
Beautiful...every tangible thing has a history and energy behind it. I loved your poem! (as always)
ReplyDeleteI think if we dig deeper into the weeds of life we can also find stories in many obscure places. While sometimes hidden, these stories tell part of the story that ultimately adds richness. Are those cast off items memories, waiting to be found? Excellent take on prompt Sandy.
ReplyDeleteamazingly done Sandy
ReplyDeleteyou are great as always
Fantastic! I really love this one!
ReplyDeleteSo eloquently poetic both in verse and photo. Well done.
ReplyDeletewhat a different interesting approach Sandy!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! So many stories, so little time.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is immediate, direct and real. You remind me of William Carlos Williams. There is poetry in things if we only look. And that poetry is about us.
ReplyDeleteOh my- you hit something with me that I am going through right now in your poem and explanation. All those little forgotten places that not everybody is able to find or see. Wow!
ReplyDeleteWonderfully written, Sandy.
ReplyDeleteYou have shown that the bit of discovered old treasure to the storyteller is like a fresh prompt word to the poetry writer.
..
beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what my story will say to my loved ones some day.
Thanks for being here.