Salamander

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By onemorething

Tue, 25 Aug 2020
  • 5694 reads
24 comments
 

When it rained, you blamed me,

and when your cattle died or

the well gave up bad water - 

it was all my doing. So much so,

that now you do not speak my name,

fearing its mustard breath 

will flame a pouched poison and 

released, will fire and hiss if uttered.

 

But I have never been that mysterious.

 

Still, I speak in little clicks, undaunted,

mutter the meaning of each star 

upon my back, upon the worm of my body.

And I swim in the murk of aquatic dreams,

sinewy, watered beneath the smell

of pinewood warmed in the sun. Here,

you ask me to put out the blaze I started

 

and yet, I only know the cool of wet and stone.

 

I think of the soft, round of my eggs,

sticky as creamy mistletoe berries and,

what if I could change my skin,

regenerate the broken parts 

so that when, scales falling away,

I can reveal the white dove of my virtue,

and how then, maybe then,

you might again see the truth of me. 

 

Image is from wikimedia commons: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salamander_in_fire.jpg

 

Certificate U
Poem
Unclassified

Comments

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

A refined poem relating the folkloristic symbolism of the salamander and reflecting a parallel real-life situation. Very well constructed.

Luigi x

P.S. A tiny typo on line 19: miseltoe instead of mistletoe.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Luigi, glad you liked it. Thanks re spelling error, corrected now. Rachel x

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

A stonkingly good poem. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Mark! :)

 

Submitted by Ewan on

sublime. Dextrous and thrilling use of language.
Well done.
Best
Ewan

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Ewan! Pleased you thought so. :)

 

Submitted by Ewan on

 Why not share or retweet if you like it too?

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks very much, a lovely surprise. :)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Genuinely unable to add to the very impressive accolades this poem has (very deservedly) earned. Well done! When is your anthology out? Don't forget to let us know will you!

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks insert, very happy you liked it. :)

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Such a beautiful and moving piece.

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you, what a lovely comment, am chuffed you thought so. :)

 

Submitted by drhilarius on

I liked this a lot. 

 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you, that's very kind, am glad you liked it. Rachel :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

A revealing poem Rachel.

Love the idea of soft round eggs sticky as creamy miseltoe berries...what a great metaphor.

Enjoyed reading.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Jenny, yes, so like pearly berries. Glad you enjoyed. Rachel :)

 

Submitted by lavadis on

Sumptuous, sensual and brutally sad 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Laurie. Very pleased you liked it, thanks for reading it. Rachel :)

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

This is, obviously, our Poem of the Week.  Congratulations!  

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks so much!! Happy way start to the weekend. :)

 

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on

A powerful poem - imagery and a journey into awakening, second to none. -Richard LP 

Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Richard, very glad you enjoyed reading it. Rachel :)

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Damn fine poem, Rachel. Well deserved.

Rich

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Rich, that's very kind, happy you thought so. Rachel :)