For June, we were challenged to write a poem using "susurrus" or to an image of thick woods. I started off writing about how "thick" June's heat is, but thankfully, veered into garden's bounty instead. I think my mind is on my neighbor's tomatoes...and will be until she delivers one, a perfect rosy gift, to my door. At least, I hope she does. Please, please.
Small talk
In June, we hum in heated talk
of glossy egg-bright
squash and lime green
earbobs of beans, we barter
blackohmyberries, foretell
first cobcrack of corn, whisper
endlessly of that soandsomuch
who promises soonwillbe tomatoes,
murmur peachescomingnext,
and on and on, a susurrus
of morethanenough; a promise
to be together into the long days.
---Sara Lewis Holmes (all rights reserved)
My fellow poets are whispering and humming here:
Tanita
Liz
Laura
I AM IN LOVE with the susurrus of this poem, the ee cummings-ish language, the colors, the flavors, the earbobs, the plenty. I LOVE THIS POEM.
ReplyDeleteI'm now craving earbobs of beans and soandsomuch cobcrack of corn. I adore the language in this poem.
ReplyDeleteYes, I echo Liz & Tricia, loving this susurration of language. This one, I think, will be a mentor text to me... thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFirst, the picture of those tomatoes made my mouth water. It's one of my favorite things in the world. And I love the words you put together to tell of the bounty of summer. "a susurrus of morethanehough" Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteMmmm.... my tomatoes are only green marbles and flowers so far, but I Have Hopes. The peaches are ...green golf balls. All these murmured promises of plenty are delightful, aren't they? Lovely.
ReplyDelete"a promise
ReplyDeleteto be together into the long days"
A garden is a promise, isn't it? Our school community garden finally has community this year, in large part, I think, because COVID erased all our summer plans. I spent a good long time last night talking raised beds and perennials, rain barrels and compost with our garden's neighbors in the condo across the fence. Good gardens make good neighbors. (Especially if they share the tomatoes!!)
Geez, Sara, this is fabulous. I love the way you've connected your words so the whole thing feels like a whispered, murmured, anticipatory conversation. And so many great words--even the ones NOT stitched together! "we barter/ blackohmyberries" = my favorite bit!
ReplyDelete