~Jonathan Edwards
Happy Poetry Friday! I am happily making celebration preparations. We have four days of celebrations coming up in a row: birthday (Dash's), college graduation (Elena's), anniversary (Ben's and mine). (In case you were wondering how those three make four days, Elena has two ceremonies: one for her department and one for the entire class.)
I picked today's poem by Katherine West for its exuberance and perseverance. "I carry infinity/inside me/a multitude of blue doors // that I open/one by one/day by day."
by Katherine West
The silenced majority
that some day
will decide
which small piece of the sky
belongs to them
—Rigoberta Menchú quoted in Poetry Like Bread.
70% of Americans don’t trust politicians to make abortion policy. —19thNews
Today it is cloudy
I can’t see the sky at all
I have to imagine it
the way it was
when I was young
when life was a blue door
opening
on an even bluer
even bigger sky
Some days
the sky was so blue
it was almost purple
and I could see
all the way
to Mexico
The birds seemed to fly higher
farther
taking me with them...
read the rest here
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Janice Scully has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Janice!
Enjoy your four days celebrations, Tabatha! They sound just right. By that I mean, what is life without the people we love?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the image of so many blue doors we can walk through, so many options for joy. You have quite a few open this weekend!
I love West's line "I carry infinity inside me." Thanks for introducing me to this poet. Enjoy your celebrations!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have so much to celebrate, Tabatha! You've got me thinking blue doors and purple skies...thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteTabatha, what a stunning poem by Katherine West! The contrast of what a young girl sees and what the clouds cover is so evocative. I love the simple form of this poem in tercets, that describes just what is and has been taken away for so many.
ReplyDeleteAh what a fascinating and creative poet and artist you shared with us Tabatha, love her blue skies and remembering them on cloudy days, thanks!🥰
ReplyDeleteWonderful poem, love those blue doors! Enjoy all your upcoming celebrations!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and all best wishes for wonderful celebrations, Tabatha. Funny that I just discussed having my front door painted blue with Ingrid. I did have one at my old home. There are blue doors everywhere in New Mexico, thought to keep evil spirits away. Yes, we are NOT going away!
ReplyDeleteTabatha, Thank you for sharing the poem by Katherine West. I find myself wanting to read more of her work. We loved NM when we visited in early 2020 (before the pandemic started officially - in February). While the sky was very blue - and expansive - I did not notice any blue doors. I will look the next time I'm there. We are here to stay! Enjoy your celebrations!
ReplyDeleteWow: "a multitude of blue doors."
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your many celebrations, Tabatha! xo