Photo from My Life Size Labyrinths
Poetry Quote of the Day:
"One ought, everyday at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if possible, speak a few reasonable words." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Here's one good poem for the day. I stumbled upon it, fell in love with the first line, and jumped right in. Leave your "few reasonable (or unreasonable) words" in the comments.
BTW, I've walked a labyrinth. Have you?
"Any fool can get into an ocean"
by Jack Spicer
Any fool can get into an ocean
But it takes a Goddess
To get out of one.
What's true of oceans is true, of course,
Of labyrinths and poems. When you start swimming
Through riptide of rhythms and the metaphor's seaweed
You need to be a good swimmer or a born Goddess
To get back out of them
Look at the sea otters bobbing wildly
Out in the middle of the poem
But it takes a Goddess
To get out of one.
What's true of oceans is true, of course,
Of labyrinths and poems. When you start swimming
Through riptide of rhythms and the metaphor's seaweed
You need to be a good swimmer or a born Goddess
To get back out of them
Look at the sea otters bobbing wildly
Out in the middle of the poem
I love Goethe more and more as time goes by, I really do. Any fool can get into the ocean, though -- that I got a kick out of. Here's to Goddess-ness!
ReplyDeleteThat labyrinth in the sand is beautiful! I'm curious -- where you walked your labyrinth, Sara?
ReplyDeleteIn a church courtyard, Julie. They had brought in a large one painted on canvas for anyone who wished to walk and meditate or pray. At the time, I was attempting to write a book with a labyrinth in it and wanted to experience the walk.
ReplyDeleteI also used a picture of a labyrinth like this one in a presentation about writing a novel. I talked about how you think the experience is going to be point A to point B, and winds up instead being this beautiful, twisting path that takes you nearer and then farther and then nearer to the center of the story as you steadily walk/write.
I think this post might be a sign that I need to get back to that long abandoned novel idea.
Oh, what a superb poem!
ReplyDeleteI've been to the site of the supposed labyrinth of King Minos in Greece, also muddled my way out of the big maze at Hampton Court Palace.
Jama, I've done the Hampton Court maze with my kids. Lots of fun. Guess I should add Greece to my list, too!
ReplyDeleteBased on the library funding news this week, I need a labyrinth to walk. What a great photo and the poem...a perfect place to be.
ReplyDeleteAh Sara, you Goddess you! I was clicking away and forgot what blog I was reading. As soon as I started this poem I thought of you and wondered if you'd read it already. Hee Hee.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to walk a labyrinth. Done it with my fingers but not my feet.
Oh! Here's another beautiful ocean/labyrinth image.
ReplyDeleteLove the quote which I had forgotten about and was glad for the reminder. It's going in my memory book.
ReplyDeleteAnd the poem is wonderful! Thank you for introducing me to it.
"... is true of course
ReplyDeleteOf love and memory. When you start remembering."
The closing is what impresses me most. Of course I enjoyed the whole poem but the closing held me most of all.
This is what I am doing this morning:
ReplyDelete"swimming
Through riptide of rhythms and the metaphor's seaweed"
It remains to be seen how I will emerge when it's time to get up from the computer and join the world for the day, but I'm pretty sure I'll be dripping wet and gasping for air! But the otters will have been worth it all...
I love that poem, and love the Goethe quote, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I'm just muddling through the labyrinth of life.
Wow, amAzing picture to go along with this poem.
ReplyDeleteRiptide of rhythms....
Who wouldn't try to swim with the otters?!
Ok, this is just a generality, but I'm not that fond of Beat poets. But I love this. I guess I think of Beat poetry as long, rambling, and (to me) not that interesting. This is focused and fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI've only walked in "entertainment" labyrinths--hay mazes, Halloween haunted mazes, etc. Would love to try a meditative one. I think there's one here in the Twin Cities somewhere that I read about. Will have to go check!