My worn grey boots, faded jeans And knitted hat - Time to leave, my love, Head to the light, the warmth, the furthest field Where friends found stones, built boundary dykes And dug crisscross ditches That old souls fall into when they walk with me And the inversion rises to reveal
For me, this is a moving poem which encapsulates the feeling of otherworldliness, and how close the different worlds might be. There is a sense of anticipation and joy in heading to the light and warmth, which is belied by the ‘worn’ boots, the ‘faded’ jeans and the sense of an ending, in leaving and heading to the ‘furthest field’.
I find the use of the past tense incredibly poignant, and again there are references to boundaries and liminal spaces and falling. I wonder though whether there is also a sense of heaviness dropping away, especially as the cloud then rises and the landscape is revealed, along with all the stories and songs of a lifetime, many lifetimes.
I love the idea of the dew rinsing away thought, leaving pure experience. I sort of wish, however, that the poem could end with the image of ‘dew-drenched clover’ rather than ‘thoughts awry’. The whole poem seems to be about inversions and opposites - sensibility and thought, sky and earth. Are there simple opposites, like right and wrong, or does everything merge into this moment of feeling and experience, sorrows and beauty?
I would also like to comment on the James K Baxter poem. Juliet, I am really enjoying comparing these poems that have inspired you with your own creations! On the days when I have time in the mornings, it is such an indulgence and pleasure for me to read, think and write about them, and to share your exploration of words and meanings! Thank you so much for setting this up for us! (And also of course for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.)
I’m not sure whether I completely understand A Pair of Sandals! The poet seems to be mustering his energy to confront some personal demons by looking to the wisdom of the past and uncovering difficult truths (going out into the darkness and cold, discovering old bones, ‘broken windows’ and ‘bird dung’!). There is a glimmer of hope in the belief that his forebears may instruct him and that he will feel better when the sun rises and this ‘Lord’s’ arrows will pierce his thick skull - he refers to the mind as a shapeless lump of clay!
For me, this is a moving poem which encapsulates the feeling of otherworldliness, and how close the different worlds might be. There is a sense of anticipation and joy in heading to the light and warmth, which is belied by the ‘worn’ boots, the ‘faded’ jeans and the sense of an ending, in leaving and heading to the ‘furthest field’.
I find the use of the past tense incredibly poignant, and again there are references to boundaries and liminal spaces and falling. I wonder though whether there is also a sense of heaviness dropping away, especially as the cloud then rises and the landscape is revealed, along with all the stories and songs of a lifetime, many lifetimes.
I love the idea of the dew rinsing away thought, leaving pure experience. I sort of wish, however, that the poem could end with the image of ‘dew-drenched clover’ rather than ‘thoughts awry’. The whole poem seems to be about inversions and opposites - sensibility and thought, sky and earth. Are there simple opposites, like right and wrong, or does everything merge into this moment of feeling and experience, sorrows and beauty?
I would also like to comment on the James K Baxter poem. Juliet, I am really enjoying comparing these poems that have inspired you with your own creations! On the days when I have time in the mornings, it is such an indulgence and pleasure for me to read, think and write about them, and to share your exploration of words and meanings! Thank you so much for setting this up for us! (And also of course for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.)
I’m not sure whether I completely understand A Pair of Sandals! The poet seems to be mustering his energy to confront some personal demons by looking to the wisdom of the past and uncovering difficult truths (going out into the darkness and cold, discovering old bones, ‘broken windows’ and ‘bird dung’!). There is a glimmer of hope in the belief that his forebears may instruct him and that he will feel better when the sun rises and this ‘Lord’s’ arrows will pierce his thick skull - he refers to the mind as a shapeless lump of clay!
I prefer your poem, Juliet!! ❤️