The Heat of the Desert (I.P.)

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Sun, 23 Feb 2014
  • 1921 reads
16 comments
 
They cannot scare me with their empty spaces
between stars – stars where no human race is.
I have it in me so much nearer home
to scare myself with my own desert places.
Robert Frost
 
Sleep evades me – one o’clock, or so...
beyond the window the water-logged blackness
of the fields – lit by a sometime-moon...
stretches out before me like bolts
of shot-silk.
 
The hoarse bark of a fox – the screech
of a barn-owl; they do not sleep in the hot flicker
of a million stars, no more than they count
the hours, days, months or years
 
nor do they see how life was interrupted –
here; the unslept in bed, the unkept diaries...shoes
gathering dust in the hall, the unloved
greenhouse with its rotting frame – once
we’d made it a first in.
 
How I pick up my pen – seek to fill 
the arid nothingness with my scribblings – begin 
and begin again, in my bid for a less lonely loneliness. 
The desert heat fuelled by a single star – knows
nothing, and cares even less about things 
such as this.
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Spiritual
Love
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Much more interest in our climate! I hope your eye for all the nature detail does help in those times of  sleeplessness and loneliness. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

There certainly is 'much more interest with our climate', Rhiannon.

I spent quite a lot of time, on business, in the UAE; Dubai, Abu Dhabi and such, in the eighties and the nineties, and I must admit to getting very bored with the same weather day on day...albeit hot and sunny, sometimes too much so, especially in July and August.  There was no sense of anticipation on opening the curtains each morning to see what the elements had in store, as there is in the UK.  Snow one day, and a heatwave the nextsmiley

As to your last comment, yes, writing does help no end, especially in those wee, small hours.

Many thanks for reading  and sharing your thoughts, always inspiring.

Tina

 

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

I always marvel at your way with words, Tina. I don't always get poetry. I'm usually left scratching my head, going, 'What?' But then again I'm usually the one in the group who never gets the joke. Everyone around me is laughing, and I'm going, 'What's so funny?' Lol.

I loved this poem. It really captured the feeling. I've been where this narrator has been. It struck all the right chords for me. Thanks.

Rich

 

 

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hi there, Rich.  It's always a bonus - hearing from yousmiley

And speaking of the one who never gets the joke, as you were, that's me, alright, toosad

Pleased you could indentify with these ramblings of mine, as many will, I think, and thanks for your words.

Tina

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

'Sleep evades me     like bolts of shot silk' the whole of this opening lyric stands out for me as the best in a very good poem. Do you live on the edge of open countryside? Nature seems a very close neighbour     Elsie

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Good morning, elsie!

Pleased you enjoyed, and yes I do live, completely surrounded, as it happens, by countryside. Most of it is farmed, except for the moor, and quite a hub of acitivity at harvest time as you can imagine. I was born in London, but always had a yearning for rural life which I was lucky enough to be able to achieve for most of my adult years.

I wouldn't swap it for the world, but my late daughter always preferred town life, as does my younger daughter, and granddaughter, as a matter of fact, so it just goes to showsmiley

Your thoughts, more than appreciated, Elsie, and thank you for taking the time and trouble in sharing them.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

Lovely poem, Tina. It's one I will be reading over again.

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Bee...you've gladdened my heart, this sunny morningsmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by scratch on

Very good.  I like it when you use an excerpt from another's poem as a jumping off point.  Well done SSS.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Much obliged to you, scratch.

SSSsmiley

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Tina,

have you written another poem on the I.P?  Only I was sure I commented on it yesterday.

Any way...I loved all your descriptions in this poem and loved where the poem took me.

Thank you so much for sharing.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Yes, Jenny...you're right I did, and many thanks for reading this onesmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by Luke Neima on

Simply a fantastic response to the IP Tina - this transported me to another clime. That last stanze really resonated with me, something about the drive to write to drive away insomnia, loneliness, that sense of being lost in an enormous universe - not sure why but it got me. 'The desert heat fuelled by a single star' - what a lovely image.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Luke - I thank you for taking time out to read and comment, so positively, on my work.  It means a lot to me.

Tina

 

Submitted by Denzella on

Hello Tina,

Yes, I agree with Luke you have created a wonderful poem from this IP but then you create so many wonderful poems.  The ones you throw away or discard...if any...can I have them to post on here under my name.  Only joking even your throwaway lines would be so patently obvious they are not mine.

Moya

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Moya - you are wonderful...and I shall keep you in mind for my cast-offssmiley

Thanks for reading my stuff this morning. I do appreciate it, and I'm pleased this one you enjoyed, as well.

Tina