Monday, August 18, 2008

first day

This is the day that the lawn
begins to grow,

and already she can't find herself
in the tall grass.

Corn grows quickly
in her field.

Her cotton bolls open like hands
revealing white puffs.

Her s e e d s erupt.
She finds sun, drinks water,

grabs soil, her root-fingers
dirt deep under the nails.

This is not slow-motion.
It's the swift burst of life.

9 comments:

JKA said...

I always love a nature poem. The fist line is my favorite –something about the notion that the grass was waiting until today to spring into action. It makes the whole thing auspicious. I think I might cut the last two lines. I’ll have to let it digest for a bit.

Anonymous said...

The first day, the beginning of things, energy of the new -- all expertly captured here.

holly said...

Thanks Jarod and Nathan for the comments...Yes, I debated how to end, but the idea of things growing in slow-motion, but it's not really slow, is something I wanted to get across. Does it come across without the last 2 lines? Food for thought anyway.

Anonymous said...

Ah...the swift burst of life. Lovely. My favorite lines are
Her s e e d s erupt.
She finds sun, drinks water,

grabs soil, her root-fingers
dirt deep under the nails.

Dirt not only under the nails...it's deep under. I like that.

I feel like the narrator most days. Lost in the tall grass. I love this poem, Holly. And again, it could be two themed. Nature coupled with humanity...like Nathan said...new beginnings. And I agree it is all expertly captured here.

holly said...

Julie, thanks for the close reading! Yes, yes.

Anonymous said...

The last six lines of this are beautiful, so much caught here and the energy, pooooof!

holly said...

thank you Jo...that means a lot coming from someone whose work I really respect

Cynthia said...

Ahh, earthy, the wonder of life,
the beauty of nature.

holly said...

Thank you Cynthia.