Thursday, April 1, 2010

Day 1 of NaPoWrimo!

I thought it would be fitting to do an original of mine, but one of it's earlier drafts. I have recently reworked this poem so it includes both French and English, but rereading it, and making a few revisions, I noticed it works as an English piece too. I also thought that for the first day of a poetry challenge that it was fitting.



Language
I
language is the healer;
the messiah.
he has been there since the very beginning.
II
Language heals us but it also wounds us
Or rather, wounds himself.
Or rather, we wounded him.
Somehow he always returns.
III
Language is bound to eternity.
Language holds the wisdom and folly on his tongue,
and forgotten words on his margin.
What will we listen to?
IV
Language permeates the dark air like a siren.
Language pushes birds around.
Language. Sighs.
V
Language is near, when
Silences stalks us,
Impersonating shadows.
Usurping their identity.
We trip.
We fall. We rise.
We fall, We rise.
Language dusts us off.
VI
Language eludes us in youth,
Haunts us in middle age,
And returns, temporarily,
In death.
VII
Language can be a blind-fold
But language can open eyes.
Language is the healer;
The Messiah,
He has been there since the very beginning.

4 comments:

  1. Wow. I am very impressed with this piece. All the sections work beautifully.

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  2. Thanks Suz! What a confidence booster for this piece. :D

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  3. My favourite line is "and forgotten words on his margin."
    I think it's clever. This poem kind of reminds me of Bill Bryson's writing on language.
    Also like all of VII. Very well done!

    ReplyDelete

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