Thursday, December 17, 2009

Stars are meteors

This poem is a response to this weeks Read Write Poem prompt. The site posts a list of words and challenges poets to create an original work including all or some of the words. I managed to use all except for to or three of the words. Read Write Poem is a great community and a great resource for poets and writers.

Stars are meteors

only when they fall.

Plucked from the celestial shell,

pierced by our neglect

of their glory,

none are moved by their curled descent.

Our backs turned

we feel safer contemplating

telephones and radar,

things built of precious hands

and abiding minds.

We are struck numb by fire

in front of the moon,

confronted with a reminder of

Icarus’ failure.

12 comments:

  1. Hi Stewart,

    We may "feel safer contemplating/telephones and radar" but how much poorer than observing the heavens? Great beginning; stars falling because of our lack of appreciation. Welcome to RWP.

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  2. Derrick--Thanks for stopping by to read and for the welcome to RWP.

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  3. A delightful read. Surely we lose sight of the importance of life.

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  4. stewart an exceptional offering for the prompt this week. often humanity forgets how microscopic we are in relation to our place within our universe. "our backs turned" a very telling line, one for me that shifts the poem from observational beauty to a personal responsibility of sorts. very much enjoyed. -lawrence

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  5. Tumble and Lawrence--Thanks for visiting and reading. Glad this one worked for both of you.

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  6. Hi, Stewart. You did a good job on the wordle. Those last four lines are a stunning image set

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  7. I like the premise, that in our efforts to not fail like Icarus, we suffer a different and perhaps more cowardly and indifferent fate. You describe this denial very powerfully.

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  8. I really like the idea that the stars fall because of our neglect and the image of Icarus's fate. Nice take of the prompt!

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  9. I like the way you crafted the words into such a meaningful poem. You have evoked powerful imagery like, "struck numb by fire in front of the moon". I enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing this wonderful poem here, Stewart!=D

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  10. I love the way you read the Wordle prompt in light of the Icarian myth. Very nice.

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  11. nicely done and thanks for sharing this

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  12. from Therese L. Broderick -- short but effective! I didn't see the ending coming -- strong twist. Welcome to RWP!

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