The Turning Of The Worm,
Painting by Christian Michael
The Worm Turns
Plot points on a small map, where I travel no further
than scattershot; wet in settler’s muck where I wiggle,
human worm, blind, underground, catalyzing compost.
Churning waste to sleepy dreamer’s gold, I rise, emerge,
shadow from shadows, with an urge to breathe; sniff
frightened, decaying stench, too aware of my small skin,
its susceptibility to every madness navigating its ever-
widening swaths to bulls-eye each place in the world.
Backwards I go, deep, dark, to a place that never was.
Dora is today’s host of dVerse’ Poetics Tuesday. Dora says:
Your poetics challenge today is to incorporate a landscape or cityscape into your poetry that either mirrors or amplifies your interior landscape (or lack thereof). Be sure to use the examples above to guide you as to what I mean by “embodying a landscape.” Is there a place that’s special to you, that has become a part of you? Perhaps you have a memory of encountering a landscape that has changed you or enlightened you? What particulars of this landscape have inspired, comforted, encouraged, strengthened you, or done just the opposite? Put it all in a poem, and take us there.
Tao-Talk 
This is a lovely read. Very interesting.
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Robbie thank you.
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Dear Li, You’ve done a phenomenal job of showing how so many millions around the world must feel, trying to get as low as you can while people who have never seen you, talked to you, or even knew you are trying to turn you into the compost in which they hope to grow their evil weeds. A wrenching poem, visceral in its imagery.
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Dora, thank you very much for your view of the poem as your view expanded the scope <3
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Perfectly described Dora!
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Very interesting, Lisa
much love
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“shadow from shadows”–too many live in this place. (K)
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:(
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An interesting poem, Lisa. I love the artwork.
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Thank you, Dwight. I love it also and used it with another poem awhile ago.
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Very nice! You are welcome.
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This is emotionally hard hitting, uneasy and tense. Great write Lisa 👏
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Shaun, thank you <3
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I really can feel the anxiety of the worm in that deep dark place, twisting and the artwork is fabulous.
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Di, thank you very much.
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Lisa your poem is a potent exploration of the ‘inner crawl’ capturing that specific feeling of being overwhelmed by the world’s scale and finding productive solace in the dark.- wonderful writing 🙌
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Ange, thanks so much for sharing what you see in it <3
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🩷
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wow Li, so so good! I loved your poem! 🌻💜
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Thank you, CA <3
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Very creative approach to the prompt, and delightfully done!
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Thanks, Walt! :)
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you’ve left me in the dirt with this one. you’ve got a voice in this that seems quite different from your usual
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Eric, you may have missed my comment to Dora, saying her intro inspired the direction of this poem. It may have started about myself, as I have lived most of my life within a 5-mile radius, but then it begins to expand and encompass the world and the living who struggle to survive.
Funny about leaving you in the dirt lol
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What an original response to the prompt, Lisa. Well done.
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Thanks very much, Judy. Did you see I dedicated a Friday Fictioneers story to you today?
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No…I’ll look for it. This has been a crazy day. Crazy week, as a matter of fact.
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I hear you!
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This speaks to me of your exploration of life and the philosophical.❤️
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Thanks for reading and sharing what you see, Melissa.
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A very profound poem Li.
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Sadje, thank you.
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Most welcome dear friend
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The world presents not such an attractive landscape for your worm Li. There are so many unfortunate people wishing they could retreat back underground too. In fact I expect that is exactly what many of them are trying to do.
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Agreed, Sean.
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