symbolism rules
Retirement
Palm trees anticipate the arc
of your body, its return to the earth.
Instead of the ocean, the reflection
of pavement, the mirrors in your apartment
that once focused only on your face.
You cannot discard unwanted limbs
on the beach. You are convinced blood
is the solvent of skin, and your heart
is continually forcing high tide
jason fraley
I have found a few sites which give daily doses of poetry and I am trying to remember to visit them on a daily basis in the hope that at least something might filter through by osmosis. I think it must be true that the more exposure you get to any art form, the more scope for appreciation - you're going to find some stuff you quite like!
The above example was on today's verse daily. I'm not ready to retire yet but I can already connect with the inevitability of physical ageing. I liked the way he wove the vision of a dream retirement by the ocean with the reality of the decrepitude of old age.
Mind you, it's a bit pessimistic. I hope to avoid this condition when my day comes - look after yerself, Jason! I just like the poem.
postscript: I refer to its symbolism. I get confused between the terms: metaphor, allegory, simile etc. .... I hope that symbolism is a more embracing term, though I suspect now that simile is the one I'm after.
Palm trees anticipate the arc
of your body, its return to the earth.
Instead of the ocean, the reflection
of pavement, the mirrors in your apartment
that once focused only on your face.
You cannot discard unwanted limbs
on the beach. You are convinced blood
is the solvent of skin, and your heart
is continually forcing high tide
jason fraley
I have found a few sites which give daily doses of poetry and I am trying to remember to visit them on a daily basis in the hope that at least something might filter through by osmosis. I think it must be true that the more exposure you get to any art form, the more scope for appreciation - you're going to find some stuff you quite like!
The above example was on today's verse daily. I'm not ready to retire yet but I can already connect with the inevitability of physical ageing. I liked the way he wove the vision of a dream retirement by the ocean with the reality of the decrepitude of old age.
Mind you, it's a bit pessimistic. I hope to avoid this condition when my day comes - look after yerself, Jason! I just like the poem.
postscript: I refer to its symbolism. I get confused between the terms: metaphor, allegory, simile etc. .... I hope that symbolism is a more embracing term, though I suspect now that simile is the one I'm after.
posted by Ian russell at 1:04 AM
3 Comments:
"the mirrors in your apartment
that once focused only on your face."
I think this idea is interesting, does this mean that as we grow older we are able to look beyond ourselves?
in a way, i suppose it is. though he does not seem happy with what he sees. maybe when he was younger he admired his youthful face, but now he sees old age - his skin appears to be dissolving in his own blood.
mmm...yes, I thought it both ways...:)
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