What’s it to me? …
A knotted and nasty old poet of introverted time
wearing five-dollar sweats
dressing in black on black,
silver earrings tinkling softly in the winter breeze
What’s it to me? …
A Madwoman, A Madonna, A Medusa
Traipsing neighborhood streets, city parks, country lanes
Nibbling on sharp yellow cheese and glossy red apples
Sitting down on some wayward curb to sigh in wonder at
noisy birds, children, wizened old men, whiskered grandmothers
Dogs walking their humans by the side of the road
Feral cats scratching a living of pigeon stuffed with stale bread
Muttering, muttering, whispering, watching, writing
Writing long poems and short about what it was to be us
through clocked days trapped in pointless, punctilious youth
Enjoying now the wild, gnarly randomness of life
and the music of our dusty blue souls jingling as we walk …
What’s it to me? What’s it to this so lately untamable me?
© 2013, poem and photographs, Jamie Dedes, All rights reserved; “Medusa” is in the public domain
JAMIE DEDES (The Poet by Day)~I am a medically retired (disabled) elder and the mother of married son who is very dear. I started blogging shortly after I retired as a way to maintain my sanity, to stay connected to the arts and the artful despite being mostly homebound. My Facebook pages are: Jamie Dedes (Arts and Humanities) and Simply Living, Living Simply.
With the help and support of talented bloggers and readers, I founded and host The Bardo Group because I feel that blogging offers a means to see one another – no matter our tribe – in our simple humanity, as brothers and sisters and not as “other.”
“Good work, like good talk or any other form of worthwhile human relationship, depends upon being able to assume an extended shared world.” Stefan Collini (b. 1947), English Literary Critic and Professor of English Literature at Cambridge
Jamie, I loved the rawness to this piece. Really has a driving bite to. Lovely. Loved the painting. I used the same one in a poem about Caravaggio. >KB
LikeLike
Thank you, K. I love most of what I’ve seen of Caravaggio. The way he used light is interesting, not the typical chiaroscuro.
LikeLike
He seemed not to care where the light was cominmg from. He only wanted his people to be well seen. Best>KB
LikeLike
Reblogged this on THE POET BY DAY and commented:
My poem today on The Bardo Group blog …
LikeLike
I just love this Jamie, it so wild, free and a little offbeat it’s so appealing…untamable Yes Love it!!! 🙂
LikeLike
It is us in our maturity, eh? Thank you for your kind comment, Dianne. Happy day …
LikeLike
Oh my … you have articulated the inarticulable. This is indeed wonderful.
LikeLike
It’s where we are all at now, isn’t it? Old age has rewards to compensate for the aches and pains, doesn’t it, Liz?
LikeLike
OK – I am smiling and chuckling as I say these words. “I am not sure Jamie.” 😉
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
I love this, Jamie. Every perfect word.
LikeLike
Thank you for saying so, Naomi.
LikeLike
A visual painted in every word. Jamie, I am never surprised by your writing. I am always in awe. Incredible poem …
LikeLike
What a lovely thing to say, Isadora. Thank you! I hope today finds you well and plying your many arts.
LikeLike
A truly powerful piece. Loved it!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Buenas dias y gracias, a De Ann, por su commentario. 🙂
LikeLike
I knew where this was going…so graphic and, actually, so fun. Ah yes, we are the eccentrics, heh?
LikeLike
Eccentricity is a survival skill, I think. You can quote me on that. LOL! Thanks for taking time to read and comment, Victoria. Happy days …
LikeLike
“What’s it to this so lately untameable me?” You keep us on our toes, Jamie! Sometimes your clarity of thought is stunning; sometimes you are an enigmatic rebel! From high feline cuisine with “pigeon stuffed with bread” to “the music of our dusty blue souls”. It’s a magnificent poetic display of everything!
LikeLike
John, thank you for you kind and generous comment. This one was great fun to write and it’s been delightul to see how people enjoy it.
LikeLike
So MANY good lines in this one, Jamie! A couple of my favs: “Enjoying now the wild, gnarly randomness of life / and the music of our dusty blue souls jingling as we walk …” You have such a way of capturing the human condition, in all its many guises and forms. 🙂 Really like this one!
LikeLike
Great poem.
LikeLike