Thursday, June 23, 2022

This blaze of growing

One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.
~Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle


I wanted to write a byr a thoddaid for today but then I was (still) busy as a pig in a pie-eating contest. So instead I'm going to share a poem by D.H. Lawrence that I almost love, and suggest that it could be a great mentor poem for writing about summer. (Why do I *almost* love it? Because the ending is too much of a downer for me.)

The Enkindled Spring
By D. H. Lawrence

This spring as it comes bursts up in bonfires green,
Wild puffing of emerald trees, and flame-filled bushes,
Thorn-blossom lifting in wreaths of smoke between
Where the wood fumes up and the watery, flickering rushes.

I am amazed at this spring, this conflagration
Of green fires lit on the soil of the earth, this blaze
Of growing, and sparks that puff in wild gyration,
Faces of people streaming across my gaze.

And I, what fountain of fire am I among
This leaping combustion of spring? My spirit is tossed
About like a shadow buffeted in the throng
Of flames, a shadow that's gone astray, and is lost.

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Reading to the Core has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Catherine!

Friday morning P.S. Expand the Court!

14 comments:

Dave Roller said...

I like the concept of almost loving something, There are many books and films that I almost love but somehow find lacking. Upon 2nd 3rd or 4th reading or viewing maybe I grow to love it or maybe I learn to live without it. Thanks for sharing the Lawrence poem, I enjoyed it.

Carol Varsalona said...

Tabatha, thank you for sharing this poem. I can understand why you feel the ending is a downer. I was also too busy to try the byr a thoddaid poem but not willing to say I won't try it in the future. I have been busy with the 1st Summer Poem Swap and sent it off to Janet Fagal this afternoon. It is always good to have a challenge occupy my thoughts. Thanks for bringing us all together.

Linda Mitchell said...

A wow of a poem...it's OK to almost love it.

Irene Latham said...

Almost love is definitely a thing! Thank you for the poem, Tab. xo

Janice Scully said...

I like the metaphor of trees bursting with leaves as a flaming fire; spring is like that to me, though a little too real, perhaps, with our current experience of forest fires in so many places. That's what I thought of as I read.

Linda B said...

I have loved the June bursting and see how you 'almost' love it, yet it seems to fit our political landscape, too, & the fires burning everywhere here. One can be of two minds and often are. Thanks, Tabatha. I love that picture of Elena & her bonfire!

tanita✿davis said...

Occasionally we do this too - find a poem we "ALMOST" like, and use it as a mentor text to try... something else.

The ending IS a downer, and I wish he could've seen the spark within himself to add to that fire... if we could only see ourselves as other see us...

Tim Kulp said...

"Busy as a pig in a pie-eating contest" is now in my vocabulary and will be used often. I love the imagery from the Enkindled Spring poem. I added it to my reference/mentor texts for future works. thanks for sharing!

Tim

Margaret Simon said...

Bonfires of green is a pretty incredible image! I have been tossed to the wind this spring, so I kinda get the ending. Almost love is a good way to put it.

Alan j Wright said...

Tabatha, loved your opening quote. I have read this book. It shook me up at the time, but that summer quote is quite uplifting. Your D H Lawrence is strongly indicative of his writing style. Poets love writing about seasons and the associated changes, so I agree with you, this poem could launch something grandly related.

Elisabeth said...

I can identify with the busyness of life overtaking poetic aspirations ... There's such beautify imagery in this poem you shared (hooray for plan B's) and I love the title - "enkindled" is a wonderful word!

Thanks for sharing this with us today.

Mary Lee said...

I agree with you about that ending. All that fire, only to end with a shadow? Nah.

Catherine Flynn said...

"Bursts up in bonfires green" is exactly right! Lawrence's imagery is amazing. Thank you for sharing this new-to-me poem!

KatApel - katswhiskers.wordpress.com said...

I still can't get beyond 'as busy as a pig in a pie-eating contest'. Love it! (And I have been having smaller campfires here, the past three nights. It's the perfect winter holiday evening thing!)