Poetry

April is Poetry Month. I do not often share the things I have written but in honor of Poetry Month, I am sharing what I feel is my best work so far. I wrote these when I was in college taking a writing class. The challenge was to write three poems about the same event from three different perspectives. Not just the very same event but the very same specific event at the very same moment, from three perspectives. I am sharing the poems in their original form and in the form they become. I liked the originals but I absolutely love what they have become over time. I hope you enjoy them as well. The moment I chose to write about was a photograph I was taking when I was in Europe with my mom. It was a somewhat magical moment in San Sebastian, Spain. It is told from the perspective of the Photographer, the Camera, and the Tree.

Photographer

Wandering through the park
early afternoon
I turn my eyes
and view
a tree,
the trunk
nearly six feet around,
with ivy
climbing and encircling,
branches
reaching to heaven,
I must find a wonderful angle,
I gaze through
my amazing camera,
with power
to edit the world
trimming off:
the unbecoming,
the uncomfortable,
the unnecessary,
showing only
the most:
pleasant,
sensational,
splendid,
angle searching:
standing,
walking,
turning,
kneeling,
like a spontaneous vision
it strikes me,
light bursting through
between branches of bronze
leaves shimmering
every shade of true
green, represented
by a different leaf
Focus
Click
Satisfaction

Camera

Hanging by woven nylon
traveling through the park
sun in my lens,
I squint
surveying the scene,
nothing spectacular
a few benches,
path of bricks,
some trees,
suddenly I vies
incredible life form
statuesque tree decorated and embraced
by lush ivy,
I must choose
an angle,
little to remove
I leave off any:
dull,
ugly,
rough,
letting in
the best:
light, color, image,
I capture:
strong foundation,
bright leaves,
winding ivy,
trickling light
taking it in,
setting aside
on narrow film
I save
an exposure
to be developed
then placed on paper
and cherished
Reflect
Experience
Satisfaction

Tree

Standing firm in the soil
mid-day
a lady strolling by
she stops
turns
looks up
curious eyes,
examining me,
blue and green together
careful consideration,
she raises to her eye
strange black box,
moments before
dangling at the chest,
maybe a magical box
with power,
I wonder,
will it:
transform me,
capture me,
photograph me,
taking in
my image:
priming,
printing,
preserving,
I pose:
mighty,
stretching,
shimmering,
illuminated,
she stops,
gazes through her box
she’s found it,
flattering angle,
maintaining position
she turns a dial,
smiles,
presses a button
Click
Magnificent
Satisfaction

Photographer

Wandering through the park
angle searching:
early afternoon
standing,
I turn my eyes
walking,
and view
turning,
a tree,
kneeling,
the trunk
like a spontaneous vision
nearly six feet around,
it strikes me,
with ivy
light bursting through
climbing and encircling,
between branches of bronze
branches
leaves shimmering
reaching to heaven,
every shade of true
I must find
green, represented
a wonderful angle,
by a different leaf
I gaze through
Focus
my amazing camera,
Click
with power
Satisfaction

Camera

Hanging by woven nylon
I capture:
traveling through the park
strong foundation,
sun in my lens,
bright leaves,
I squint
winding ivy,
surveying the scene,
trickling light
nothing spectacular
taking it in,
a few benches,
setting aside
path of bricks,
on narrow film
some trees,
I save,
suddenly I view
an exposure
incredible life form
to be developed
statuesque tree
then placed on paper
decorated and embraced
and cherished
by lush ivy,
Reflect
I must choose
Experience
an angle,
Satisfaction

Tree

Standing firm in the soil
I pose:
mid-day
mighty,
a lady strolling by
stretching,
she stops
shimmering,
turns
illuminated,
looks up
she stops,
curious eyes,
gazes through her box
examining me,
she’s found it,
blue and green together
flattering angle,
careful consideration,
maintaining position
she raises to her eye
she turns a dial,
strange black box,
smiles,
moments before
presses a button
dangling at her chest,
Click
maybe a magical box
Magnificent
with power,
Satisfaction