For Sunday Whirl: Wordle #25
http://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com/
What Used To Be
In bright morning sunlight,
rambunctious swallows swoop,
seemingly waltz above ballroom-sized
pond. In distance, a bell tolls, rolling
over fallow garden that now only grows
obsolete tractor and automobile
parts. Lone crow perches atop
deserted hat-rack, someone
had thought to use
as a scarecrow.
Attentive inner ear imagines
and admires echoes of once
proud homestead, while eye
is caught by flapping foreclosure
sign, tacked and crumbling
on this doorway into what
used to be.
Elizabeth Crawford 10/9/11
Notes: The list of words immediately brought to mind a pond where I used to go and watch egrets, herons, muskrats, and other wildlife. The first stanza was already formed by the time I finished writing out the list, so went with it. The poem seems sad, but that is not my feeling. Life, albeit different, continued to flourish in that space of used to be.
Soul's Music 
Do you think the words fallow and obsolete brought about so many scenes set with a feeling of endings / abandonment this week…or could it be a deeper reflection of fears for the world?
Your piece explores what used to be by describing what “is” with vivid living imagery. The pond is a rich metaphor for continuing life—thank you for sharing it with us. I can sense both affirmative and sad threads running through this piece, both of which run through a lifetime. It is beautiful, Elizabeth. I love your contribution this week.
Brenda
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You have created in my mind the sad plight of America right now. I love the hat-rack scarecrow and ballroom-sized pond.
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Wonderful analogies for what is real life these days. I love what you did with the worlde words and it is sad to see all the foreclosure signs now. Glad you had some good memories invoked with the write.
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Elizabeth, I marvelled at how you used the words in the most unexpected ways to paint the scene. The hat-rack scarecrow is a neat trick.
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You and I both have rambunctious swallows and a fallow garden! Amazing. And your poem ends on a note of desolation…
In the Fallow Garden
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Elizabeth, this is timely and well illustrated. The last stanza brought tears to my eyes. Wonderful.
Pamela
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A wonderful poem and a great use of the wordle words.
Your words reflect the worrying times that many people in many countries are facing.
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Such a delightful use of hat-rack. A poet’s job is to allow others to see through the words. You have accomplished this marvelously. A beautiful piece.
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I enjoyed this memory…esp. like the last line.
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You used the wordle words to create a really vivid scene, I loved the ‘lone crow perches atop
deserted hat-rack’. 🙂 The words took us in different directions this week, I love what you did with them here.
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The beauty in the beginning and the sadness in the end…powerful poem.
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Lovely use of the wordle to create this nostalgic and poignant piece. Very lovely.
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Elizabeth, this is a beautiful completion. I am a bit nostalgic right now, into my own thoughts of ‘what used to be.’ Even though things may be ‘crumbling,’ one cannot deny the memories of the good times wherever and the happiness of the memories.
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I’d like to thank all of you who visited and made comments. I made return visits to your sties, but was having trouble with comments being snatched away and disappearing. After a couple of tries, I gave up. Please know I was there.
Elizabeth
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