This poem reminded me of the trickery of time, and of men, and stood me in turquoise waters lost in memory of starfish and joy. So many finely tuned phrases as exquisite and delicate as that deathly and duplicitous meal.
Paul Wittenberger once wrote "I always feel as if I’ve actually gone somewhere and come back after I read The Crow", which was a humbling comment of such kindness and encouragement, so I hope you feel similarly when I repeat those words to you. Brilliant stuff.
This is an old poem, one of my earliest really, and the memories described are much older, but they persist, just like me--persistent and older every year :) Back when I wrote this I never thought it possible that anyone would read it, but here I am today, humbled by your comment. Thank you, Jonathan!
One lesson provides grace for a moment while the other hints that such moments cannot last forever. Thank you, Fotini. Good to see your work again, even if was written in another time.
Thank you, Paul. I am in no mood for writing lately, I rather find grace in doing the dishes and looking at old photos. Vacation is over, but I am still on hold. There is grace in that too :)
that wane in the season’s resolute pace,” I feel this so intensely as the years pass Fotini, your words embody that beautifully, fearfully but with such grace.
And “Life eats life” good grief, that last line throws our humanness into sharp definition…
In our escapes to the sea, nature, and peace, reality surfaces, the world speaks of its ways.
If only we pay attention.
'Salted and spiced lying there sucking light,' I love this saucy line!
Thanks, Treasa :)
This poem reminded me of the trickery of time, and of men, and stood me in turquoise waters lost in memory of starfish and joy. So many finely tuned phrases as exquisite and delicate as that deathly and duplicitous meal.
Paul Wittenberger once wrote "I always feel as if I’ve actually gone somewhere and come back after I read The Crow", which was a humbling comment of such kindness and encouragement, so I hope you feel similarly when I repeat those words to you. Brilliant stuff.
This is an old poem, one of my earliest really, and the memories described are much older, but they persist, just like me--persistent and older every year :) Back when I wrote this I never thought it possible that anyone would read it, but here I am today, humbled by your comment. Thank you, Jonathan!
Wonderful!
I just had to go and read The Crow, and it is fantastic!
🙏🏼
A Star released into the deep blue. Santorini kalamaki entices maiden delight while octopus hang eight legs on clothes lines to await a dish delight.
Tourists stop in front of the clothes line with phone in hand -- dried octopus -- snapshot taken--check.
Kalamaki a slang term for men enticing women, think they are going to be lucky but get nothing.
They better hurry, Santorini is sinking, the crowds keep coming.
Yes. As Janis Joplin said once, “Get it while you can.” Being volcanic I thought the island would be rising.
Oh, it would be quite a spectacle to see it flying away!
Star fish in the sky next to Crab Nebula
One lesson provides grace for a moment while the other hints that such moments cannot last forever. Thank you, Fotini. Good to see your work again, even if was written in another time.
Thank you, Paul. I am in no mood for writing lately, I rather find grace in doing the dishes and looking at old photos. Vacation is over, but I am still on hold. There is grace in that too :)
Enjoy the dishes, and the photos, the sunrise and the moonlight.
Wow. These both took me completely away and into the poems. The ending stanzas for both are so good.
Oh, thank you, Margaret, you make my heart swell with joy!!!
This is sooo good. I loved the rhythm of both!
Thank you sooo much David :)
You had me at ‘the sky was stark blue’
I caught you right at the start :)
'The day was alight, the sky was stark blue'
'the wind shedding hints as swiftly went by'
'things are just meant to last for a while'.
'life eats life—there’s no other way'.
Love these lines Fotini. Nice rhythms in your early writing. I can sense how it's evolved.
I can also relate to the feeling of returning home from holidays. Who knows what comes next!
Sometimes rhyme sweeps me away. I sit to write, but inside, I am marching in the rhythm of the words. I have missed that lately :)
Fantastic poems and Ryōkan as an intro....hooo boy.
Thank you very much, Erick :)
“Forward the years, in some other place,
already September brooding on days
that wane in the season’s resolute pace,” I feel this so intensely as the years pass Fotini, your words embody that beautifully, fearfully but with such grace.
And “Life eats life” good grief, that last line throws our humanness into sharp definition…
Clever, beautiful and evocative!! 🤍
So many compliments, Susie, I am overwhelmed :) Thank you, thank you, thank you!
“an odd-looking couple we floated in glee; two worlds collided unforeseen became one, but our fleeting affair was not meant to be.
I paid my respects and let him swim by—
the folly of time and its measure undone.
Some things are just meant to last for a while.”
— such lovely writing Fotini! Very well done :)
Thank you so much, Michael 🙏
Wow, this is awesome. Absolutely love the rhythm and rhyme scheme, and the diction is incredibly poetic and evocative. Love it!
Thank you Mike, I value your words 🙏