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| Shelly Bryant with The Lined Palm |
I’m not a poet, but I love the bite of a poem, the tooth-someness of it, how a bite-sized portion turns out to be a feast.
Been reading the slim volume of poetry The Lined Palm by Shelly Bryant, a gift from her.
And as I read her lines again and yet again before I begin my own writing day (I find my writing flows smoother if I read a few snatches of poetry before), I’m taken down small, curving, wooded paths of imagination, and wonder.
It is such a joy to have a cup of tea in hand, watch a sunlit balcony and let the mind wander. I like daydreaming, as I think you may have gathered from my last post!
Maybe that’s what speculative poetry is all about?
Simurgh
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| Simurgh by Rachael Mayo. |
through the third destruction
one survivor emerges
on coppery wings she flies
in her beak a broken serpent
on her back the world’s weight
in her eye the wisdom of the ages
from her breast seedlings
onto the charred earth bestowed
~ Shelly Bryant.
It made me think of this benevolent mythical Persian bird Shelly describes here, and long for it, this bird that is female, a mammal with teeth, always a mother, large enough to carry an elephant or whale. I watch all the craziness and destruction and hatred in our world and wish our prayers and energies together would form a Simurgh– and she would make everything all right.
I found this wonderful depiction of the Simurgh by Rachael Mayo— and I think from the poem and the image, I already have this giant, wise ancient bird now inhabiting my subconscious.
Buy Shelly Bryant‘s The Lined Palm here.
Buy Rachael Mayo‘s work here.
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Do you read poetry? What sort of poetry do you like? Do you ever look for connections between poetry and art? Heard of the Simurgh before?
