Something For the Pain

Cherry

By Richard L. Provencher

Mon, 13 Aug 2012
  • 1808 reads
12 comments
 

He felt like a lump on the hospital mattress
something like the way he and his brother
fooled mom with a couple of pillows and
some toys packed under the blanket

mom laughed when she found out the
boys were outside climbing trees and watching
the sunrise.

It grew into a passion
the outdoors
where a canoe pursued hidden creeks leading
somewhere

and if you were really quiet a moose with
its gangly ways stood upright
majestic
king of the bay
content with his domain.

The IV gave off a hospital look
nurse coming in often to check his credits
BP okay, drip doing fine
and no discomfort for the time being.

Closing his eyes for a moment the
sound of a loon carries his imaginary view
its trill climbing a staircase of
notes meant to herald an evening lullaby

frogs burping nearby
bats flying in random ecstasy
and coyote sounds richocheting
from the hills.

He closes his eyes more tightly
smells the pine
hears the rustle of trembling aspen
the currents churlish flow

a woodsy serenade calls him
to join the scent of forever ways.

© Richard L. Provencher

Certificate U
Poem
POETRY - A Passage of Motion 3
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by fatboy74 on
This is very cleverly constructed Richard and both sad and beautiful, very much enjoyed, thank you. :-)

 

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Thank you FB, I am gob-smacked, just posted this poem a short while ago, and now cherries and two comments. I am delighted. Richard
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by Cavalcader on
new Richard L Prov.. Hello! very powerful poem. All flows so well. Sad parts,well written. I read so much more,into this. As fatboy74 mentions. Words so descriptive. Well deserved cherries! take care julie xx

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Many thanks, Julie. Writing poetry, or should I say story-poems, continue to be so enjoyable. R
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
Hi Richard, this is magic. You evoke the nostagia of memory so effortlessly and set it against the sad reality of your poem's character. a woodsy serenade calls him to join the scent of forever ways. This is a superb last line. The words stop, and just the lonely, beautiful sound of the forest remains in my head. Cherries well deserved.

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Wow. Such a lovely comment, Steve. I really appreciate your thoughts. R
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by Kilb50 on
A very haunting, poignant, and, as fb says, cleverly constructed poem Richard. Enjoyed reading.

 

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Thank you so much, Kilb50. I recently had a stomach hernia fixed and this poem is modeled on those moments. Have a great day. Richard
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by shoe on
The love of nature really shines through, and I like the way the subject uses his imagination to escape, taking the reader along with him, well cherried!

 

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Thank you so much, shoe. My dad said I spent so much time in the woods I was going to turn into a tree. Birch is my favourite. I used to tent out winter and summer until my stroke in August 1999. Now I shuffle through my memories and try to come more alive in the images which flow through me. Cheers. Richard LP
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by Parson Thru on
One of those, Richard. A "where did that come from?". I love the poignancy, but your description of things like moose with its gangly ways and frogs burping nearby / bats flying in random ecstasy is a gift which contrasts in the most sublime way with the scene in the hospital and the consciousness of the character. Wonderful.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Most kind of you with your insightful comments, PT. These days, a phrase or a few descriptive words come to me, and like a spoon tucked into a canister of soft honey, attracts any movement of colour. Cheers from random flight. Richard
Richard L. Provencher