*
The ponds lie
beyond the yard,
beyond the fields,
beyond thick brush
between here and there.
Each year the brush multiplies,
ever more impassable,
they seem ever farther away.
This year the ponds were not seen,
as the path leading to them
has overgrown, and trees have fallen over it,
from thunderstorms with sheer force winds.
Over the passage of time,
and its companion,
the force of nature,
my memory of the ponds is fading.
Yet, I know they are still there, waiting.
Waiting for winter
to remove the density of the vegetation.
Waiting for a chainsaw
to cut the fallen trees and move them.
Waiting for the mower
and the loppers
to clear a path.
Now, the time for the ponds must wait.
I surrender impatience.
I surrender guilt
for neglecting the path.
I surrender deprivation
of not walking near them.
Fall will do its work,
then winter,
in preparation for the
spring clearing.
—
Love lies
beyond my mind,
beyond my community,
beyond gravity,
between here and there.
Each year barriers multiply,
ever more impassable,
it seems ever farther away.
This year love was not seen,
as the path leading to it
has overgrown, and bad experiences have fallen over it
from storms with sheer force winds.
Over the passage of time,
and its companion,
the force of nature,
my memory of love is fading.
Yet, I know it is still there, waiting.
Waiting for winter
to remove the density of the memories.
Waiting for a psychic scalpel
to prune the rotten synapses and discard them.
Waiting for cold tea from the overfull cup
to be spilled
to clear a space.
Now, the time for love must wait.
I surrender impatience.
I surrender guilt
for neglecting love when it was here.
I surrender deprivation
for not allowing it near.
Fall will do its work,
then winter,
in preparation for
spring planting.
*2 acrylic pour paintings, using the same palette of paints but pouring differently with each
Tao Talk 
Absolutely beautiful!❤
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Thank you glad you liked it
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Stunning. I adore the lyrical quality to this and such good things to surrender.
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thank you for your kind words jenni
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This is lovely!
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glad you liked it! it started when i looked out the window and thought about the ponds…
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I love the parallel between physical, tangible things, and more intangible ones.
Well done!
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thank you Dawn. it’s funny how life often reflects itself in such a way
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Chilling symmetry, beautifully painted. You swim in both, feet suspended, surrounded by the fluidity of the surroundings which you can neither grasp or control, vulnerable, enveloped,yet somehow free.
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<3 thank you for your eyes
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Those are deep waters, stunning poem Jade, did not expect where it brought me, yet so gently.
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Lona, it isn’t easy for me to get vulnerable in poetry. In this case the situation with the ponds led the way… your kind words are very much appreciated.
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I loved your description of the changes in nature over the years and then it was describing your feelinns in the same way. It was beautifully done. 🙂💕
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Christine, your kind words are appreciated. Nature led the way and then the similarities jumped up and said see.
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Yes! We find many answers in nature 🙂
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Firstly, as a visual artist myself, I love the pour paintings. Secondly but not last, the poetry is equally fluid embracing the reality.
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Thank you for your kind words and glad you enjoyed the pour paintings. What visuals arts are you into?
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Collage.
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I’m also into collage :) Strictly amateur. I got started with going to “soul collage” groups and liked it. So far am sticking to that size (5″x8″) for them. How about you?
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I like working on a fairly large scale.
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I was just looking at your blog and see some amazing artwork. You are a painter and you create collage with the paint, it looks like? You are an artist. I’m a dabbler.
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There’s no such thing as a dabbler. You engage in the endeavour of artmaking you’re an artist. End of story.
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<3
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I like the surrendering of impatience, guilt and deprivation.
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It’s a worthy ongoing practice. Some days are better than others…
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Love how you see the transition… and maybe I see the difference in the process, not in the final result… on the other side lies the spring, but will we spend our winter in pain or in resting.
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The surrender applies to both parts for the now, which is the winter, where surrender is resting/accepting. Bjorn, at first I thought you meant by “the final result” what is on the other side of winter for the love part of the poem, as we know spring is on the other side of winter, but not for love necessarily. I appreciate your perceptiveness.
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I really liked this piece. Thanks for sharing.
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Glad you liked it. You are welcome.
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Awwwwww, sweet analogy. I hope spring comes quickly for you. The acrylics were fascinating =–= well done.
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Thank you, Sabio. I’m glad you enjoyed the analogy and the acrylics.
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Nature has its own tide and reasons. We can only wait and wait for that spring thaw.
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yes nature leads the way and has its reasons, thank you for your thoughts, Grace
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There is quiet strength and poise in this poem that reminds one to hold their ground .. that things will eventually fall in place. Especially love; “I surrender deprivation of not walking near them. Fall will do its work, then winter, in preparation for the spring clearing.”❤️
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Thank you very much for your feedback, sanaa. it is appreciated.
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Well done! I really like how you switched from the natural world to the world of relationships. It really works. Love your two paintings as well! The same yet different!
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Thank you, Dwight!
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