how is survival?
is it away beyond?–
a lost sense of arrival,
neither here nor gone–
is it away beyond,
tethered unto itself?–
neither here nor gone,
undefined, unfelt,
tethered unto itself,
like stars fading at dawn–
undefined, unfelt,
a whispered shadow song
like stars fading at dawn–
a journey, a myth,
a whispered shadow song
of silence and death–
A journey, a myth,
a lost sense of arrival
in silence and death–
how is survival?
A pantoum for NaPoWriMo, where we consider rhymes, and Jane Dougherty’s Pictures and Poetry Challenge where she posted the Turner painting, above, and some words from the Francis Ledwidge poem The Dead Kings as inspiration.
My painting was inspired by the Turner painting, and Ron Sexsmith provides the musical coda.
K. 
There’s a lovely rhythm to this one!
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Thanks Angela. The pantoum…on of my favorite forms.
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Ethereal existential meanderings, in your pantoum and in that wonderful song ❤
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Thanks Jade. I’ve always loved that song and like after 9/11 it resonates even more given the times.
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You’re welcome. I can see why.
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I like this. I imagine these are the kind of things a soldier might well ponder knowing that it might be his last day, last time he may watch the stars, the shadows, the path he will never be able to follow.
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I can’t even imagine really. But it would certainly be appropriate.
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Reblogged this on Jane Dougherty Writes and commented:
Kerfe’s interpretation of words and picture.
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Thanks Jane.
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Beautifully done Kerfe. That Turner painting is stunning, and your painting is inspired. Time feels even more abstract now tgan ever…yesterday for example felt to me like a whole season- winter, and today had the promise and optimism of the early days of spring. Emotions seem to have a more pronounced presence in everything and hold time bending qualities. I am really enjoying this feeling of being truly a live. Th s is life. It is a pity we had to get to this point to focus on the business of living without the distractions of everything else that doesn’t matter. I have always loved the words tethered/ untethered.
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Thanks Mek. It is a suspension of both time and place. What will we do when it releases us? I hope things will change, but only if our leaders do I fear.
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I believe there is a lot of good that has come about that is beyond turning back from…a momentum of positive energy. Check out the link to Arundhuti Roy’s essay I linked in my comment to Mike in my pancake post.
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I’ll take a look, thanks.
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The world is falling apart. India seems especially on the precipice, but I don’t think the US under Trump is that far behind. I don’t really share her optimism that we can rid ourselves of our leaders so easily, and that most people will choose the unknown. But I do agree we can each make that choice on our own.
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A wonderful poem. Mystical
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“a lost sense” – That carries throughout this. A pantoum is suited for these thoughts.
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Many thoughts are circular these days. Thanks Ken.
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