*

*
Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen

Friday, May 13, 2011

The Saints

We are from water and to water we return
True believers baptized in the muddy surge
The water gives, the water takes, our children learn

We build our homes, we catch our food, respect we earn
The waters come, our land, our lives,our hopes submerge
We are from water and to water we return

Tears are cried, rain pours from skies, the waters churn
Both saint and sinner taken in unholy purge
The water gives, the water takes, our children learn

Displaced, divided, in our dreams of home we yearn
Diaspora upon us from this watery scourge
We are from water and to water we return

Persephone dragged back to Hell, another spurn
But as spring follows, just as surely we'll emerge
The water gives, the water takes, our children learn

Our eyes reflecting flames, we watch our water burn
God or man, upon our land the fates converge
We are from water and to water we return
The water gives, the water takes, our children learn.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Tragically beautiful:-)

Fireblossom said...

"The Lord can may you tumble,

the Lord can make you turn;

the Lord can make you overflow...

But the Lord can't make you burn"

(Randy Newman)


They say that sea water and human tears contain the same amount of salt.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Whoa! about sea water and human tears! I loved this poem, love the rhyming lilt to it, the repetition of the water gives, the water takes.......just a wonderful read, especially in this, the month of floods all over the place.........

trisha said...

this was splendid. very beautiful.

Jingle said...

clever piece..
Thanks for linking...

Anonymous said...

Lolamouse - I like this very much. Water is essential to life both delicate and bold - it can smooth rough surfaces into smooth as glass and yet it can demolish life as well.

I like the centering around "The water gives, the water takes"!! Thank you for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic and profound write!

Ginny Brannan said...

Beautiful words, wonderful flow to this, a joy to read. The repetition of the Villanelle was a perfect choice of format.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful flow

Anonymous said...

wow. just really...WOW!!!