1
The music of birds gathers
in the minglings of sky and trees.
2
Voices weave separate paths that cross
each other and echo into themselves.
3
Who arranges the sequences
into song, the patterns into stories?
4
Who maps the contingent journey
of roots and branches?
5
Who casts the landscape into wings
that lift spirit into light?
I’ve been wanting to try a cadralor, and Bjorn at dVerse gave me a push by suggesting the form in his prompt. I’ve also been worrying a poem for earthweal, where Sherry asked us to look for “moments of collateral beauty“. Having a specific form to work with helped me to organize my thoughts.
I know: birds again. Yes.
The stitching was inspired by the art of Joan Mitchell, as was all the art I did for NaPoWriMo 18. It seems a lifetime ago now.
K. 
You’re in the groove with this, Kerfe. Who indeed? Yet we know its creator exists. Beautiful Joni-influenced stitching also. Mellow, random, textured and harmonious.
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Thanks Jade. Joan Mitchell is not Joni, but they are always being confused (like the two Nick Caves, both also wonderful). She’s a painter that’s one of my favorites.
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=joan+mitchell+paintings&atb=v213-1&iax=images&ia=images
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Oh wow, oops. I see why you like Joan Mitchell’s work and see the influence of your piece with hers.
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She was very influenced by Van Gogh, another favorite. It all connects.
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I enjoyed your poetry. I think I will need to try this form. I love poetry with birds so, keep them coming. The opening sets the tone . The stitch work is amazing.
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Thanks. Don’t worry, the birds will always be hanging around…
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The stitching, like grains of rice… ❤️ And “who” is the closest language we’ll ever get to that of the birds who’ll snatch them up.
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It is! Thanks Sun.
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I LOVE the birds! An interesting form I had not heard of, so cool. Lovely to read you, Kerfe.
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Thanks Sherry. Jane’s been using this form a lot, and I’ve been wanting to try it.
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I love the stitching and words to capture your thoughts. The music of the birds lift us all up.
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It does. Thanks Grace.
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The stitching and the bird imagery are delghtful. I love your ability to weave poems and visual images together.
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Thanks Suzanne. A skill you possess as well.
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I like your abstract images and poetry is what I probably should have said. 😊
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I was feeling a little gloomy this morning. Your lovely poem has cheered me up. Thank you. I will give this form a shot. I did an embroidery course many years ago…stitching is very therapeutic and creative.
Who indeed ? Not hard to guess is it !
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Thanks Rall. I agree, stitching is meditative. And the form is definitely worth trying.
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your words and the stitching really appeals, well done!
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Thanks Kate.
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# 5 is my favorite – Lovely stitches!
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Thanks Margaret.
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#4. I like how both ends of trees need to be mapped! Great imagery.
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Thanks David. They do!
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Perhaps you answered your own final questions when you mentioned birds? Certainly a wonder to watch, providing plenty of collateral beauty, at any rate!
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A confluence of spirit in this flock of stitches lifting and spiraling. Good take on the cadralor, taking five steps into the sky.
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Thanks Brendan. I think it’s a form that needs practice, but I like the way it approaches things from different angles.
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I think I’ve seen this stitching before and admired it. It really is birds and leaves in their feathered similarity!
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Thanks Jane. I need to get back to more stitching. I’m still very unfocused and seem to spend all my time doing a little of this and a little of that but not getting much of substance done.
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You’re influenced by the times we’re living in. So many things seem on the point of collapse or drastic change. It’s hard to settle to anything.
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It is.
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I agree with Jane about the stitching. It really does look like birds and leaves–and your words work perfectly with it.
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Thanks Merril. Looking back, I can’t believe I had the time to make all that art. Now I’m using old images much of the time. Time is a strange thing.
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Yes, it is. I guess that’s why we’re so fascinated by it.
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Thieve are lovely thoughts poetically expressed. I felt so calm reading this. Nice.
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Thanks Myrna. The natural world is more effective than any sedative.
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This is great! I love how the imagery is woven into each question. Beautiful stitching evokes that feeling of “confluence.” 💓
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Thanks Tricia.
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Birds and trees cannot fail you.
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Never.
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Questions for all of time … well penned!!
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Thanks Helen. I never run out of questions.
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This is gorgeous! I love; “Who arranges the sequences into song, the patterns into stories.”💝💝
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Thanks Sanaa.
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Each stanza is like a koan, with its question that wants us to look under the hood and find an answer. You’ve made your visuals very potent, and I think you do both jobs here perfectly: the form and the concept of beauty that just occurs no matter our circumstance, or perhaps because we have learned to see through our circumstance, .
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Thanks–a koan is quite a compliment. And you’re right–beaury constantly surprises us.
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I really love how you have used questions… who indeed…
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Thanks Bjorn.
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All the pathways leading up to a wholeness. Wonderful!
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