My Lady’s Parting Song
From the shore her song floats with grace
to her empty room. In disbelief I cross
her thread-strewn floor. Her fine tapestry woven
with care and heart each day is gone. Reflected
in a cracked mirror is an empty shrine. Bowing
my head, I sigh to think she has glimpsed true love.
So sweet her song, no doubt ‘tis love.
Long I met her daily needs. Yet fate, graceless,
denied her heart. Obediently she bowed
her solitude in penance before her cross.
Only my mute smile and shadowed reflections
were her commune, just so each day was woven.
“With crucifix and cloth woven,”
she sings, placing each upon the craft with love.
She hangs a lantern on the prow to reflect
upon her river path. Dusk, with subtle grace,
nears, and she lights the shrine candles by the cross.
Then humming, carves her name upon the bow.
“Sir Knight, with mercy my heart is bowed,”
she chants. About the boat’s chain her fingers wove.
In a breath, she will drop it and waters cross.
She will release her weary shadows of love
stitched in her silken web and pursue brief grace
to see her world without mirrored reflection.
“Come I to Camelot. Reflect . . .”
I hear her fading murmur as the sun bows.
I see her hair lifted in a breeze’s grace,
and in my heart both fear and joy are woven.
By chance she glanced upon a face she could love
and seeing him, she found the strength for crossing.
She bore solitude, uncomplaining, a cross
I understood. Her patient seams reflected
soft hope. Any life is barren lacking love.
The softest zephyr whispers back from her bow—
her song, her scent, her heart—all interwoven
her burdens released, she journeys on toward grace.
“With candles, crucifix and life’s work woven,
Come I to lofty Camelot. Please reflect,
Sir Knight, with mercy, that my love is unbowed.”
for RWP NaPoWriMo Day 6
inspired by Waterhouse’s Lady of Shalott
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
are deer and autumn
still about New England hills
where she ran barefoot
for Poetic Asides Day 6
my art prompt choice was Pocahontas
Hi Yousei;
“Obediently she bowed
her solitude in penance before her cross.
Only my mute smile and shadowed reflections
were her commune”
she waited for the mystery of her heart
known to her as Sir Knight
he existed not
except for her mind’s eye
and yet he did
for if her thoughts
captured Sir Knight
her loneliness
would be
no more
there are many ways
camelot can be known
and your poem
travels more than a path of one
our heroine discovered
her peace within
and Sir Knight
in the place
called Camelot
Yousei, after reading what you penned more than once, there are so many meanings one can derive from your words, I decided to throw up a few words myself to let you know how I interpreted it.
Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of reading your words and responding in kind 🙂
Sir Ichabod,
I like your interpretation. I is close to what I tried to communicate, it sees some things different, and expands on other things. All of this helps me, and I really appreciate the time you took.
Hi Yousei, my eggnog friend 🙂
You don’t need help.
You do just great. When your poetry inspires someone to respond with a poem (regardless if the quality of response is any good or not) it is the ultimate compliment. 🙂
When I read the stuff you pen, it opens my mind because that is what you write. Mind opening stuff.
Of course I may see it differently than the way you may have intended.
We are different people, with different pasts and experiences. That is the great thing about poetry, music and art.
We can take from it what we will, enjoy and savor.
This is all stuff of the heart and only your heart knows where it is at. Let not anyone critique your heart.
Here I go, getting wordy again, but it is out of respect for you.
Sir Ichabod,
Just so you know, I love your poems, for many of the same reasons you gave for liking mine. If I am truly opening minds, then I am on the right path. “We are different people, with different pasts and experiences. That is the great thing about poetry, music and art.” I TOTALLY agree. That is my basic philosophy of literature. Never worry about wordiness with me. I love reading and learning from you. Thank you for your sincere encouragement and friendship. 😀
really like your reflection on Camelot – so real!!!
moondustwriter,
Oh, thank you. I am so glad you read this. I worked hard on it, and right or not, I’m proud of it. Thanks for coming by, reading and leaving your encouraging comment.
I so enjoyed reading this, thank you! Really beautifully done. I’m learning about all the different styles, oneday I hope to write dream like poetry like this. Inspirational. 🙂
Gina
I am so flattered by your comment, but I am still learning forms and learning good writing. It is a long process, and though I’m not sure if I’ll ever be satisfied with my writing, I am certain I’ll enjoy the journey. Thank you for your visit and inspiring comment.
this was very well written kinda like a dream, only u made it real xxx
william,
So glad you liked the latest poems. I am particularly proud of the Shalott poem. Sestina are much more difficult to write than they seem. Thank you for coming by and leaving your comments.
I like this one so much!
🙂
Peace,
Laz
Lazfreedman,
Welcome. Glad you like the poem. Thanks for coming by and leaving your comment. 😀
Yousei,
Here I be! Reading about Camelot! Well, you know, we sort of have this thing where we say real stuff, and I was just reading your fine poem, which it is…
I would like to see something a little bit different in these two lines…
In a breath, she will drop it and waters cross.
She will release her weary shadows of love
The future tense in both lines I think you can write in a more interesting fashion. It is future tense isn’t it? I’m rusty on all of that. The word “will” in both lines.
However, here’s the Rob Robbie “real comment” for you. I was reading this poem, and I know it’s from one of your favorites. “The Lady…” I was trying to imagine it in iambic pentameter.
I don’t know if that interests you or not. Of course you aren’t trying to be Shakespeare. I don’t know who writes that anymore. But it would be quite an exercise, and you seem to like to do that. It would really make for a wonderful poem with the imagery. Not necessarily “perfect” iambic pentameter” of course. The poets of the past would…
I think I’ve said plenty already.
The rain in Spain stays mainly…
I think she’s got it.
E.P.,
Thanks for reading it. I really appreciate your comments. I thought about the iambic pentameter, but decided that at least initially, I would stick with the original sestina form (which was a bear, let me tell you). I’m not even certain I got it right. Hope so. As for those two lines, I’ll take a look at them. I didn’t want the plot of the poem to move on just yet, that’s why I wrote them as future tense. The servant watching her knew she would leave at any moment, yet hoped she wouldn’t. Something like that. She does drop the chain into the water later. If you didn’t catch that image, then I really do need to go back and polish. Part of the problem with the way I tackled this sestina is that I limited myself to using the same end words or forms of them (bow, bowed, bowing, etc). Later sestinas used interchangeable words, which I think is easier and in most cases better. If you’ve got something that popped in your mind as suggestions for those two lines (or others) do share. Thank you, thank you for your critique and encouragement.
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I really did enjoy reading the poem and haiku. Awesome, and beautifully done.
Viola,
So glad you read these. Thank you for sharing them with me.
What a story told in such beautiful prose.
Lisa,
I’m so glad you read this one. Having made two posts that night, I was afraid no one would read it. I worked hard on it, and though I doubt it is the best it can be, I am very proud of it. Thank you for sharing it with me.
camelot was a dream i had when i was young, the dream is where i live now.
brian,
I am so glad you read the Camelot poem. I made two posts that night, and I see you found them both. But because of the double posting, I fear few others will read this sestina, and I really like it the best of all. Glad I could share it with you. I too like living in my dreams.