Of Stones and Waters

Learning to learn.

Asking for light

Paint, write and stretch the skin, command

Speaking for an education

Teach, show, shout, and see the world

In a past of dirt and troubles

In a drear time of beaten hopes

And darkness come home

Listen you

To the waves of sound that breach

A surface

In the music of your dreams

When you left this place

And the world opened

Its windows

Speak you

Of a book of sounds

Resounding

Echoed from the cliffs of your mind

A single voice multiplied

And the music of learning

A talisman of creativity

That you carry

And this love is like breathing

The complexity of statements

And lateral thoughts

Made to stay

And drawn

Into the house of your mind

Saying here be dragons

Mapped in the plural changes of your thought

That  come with each word

Observed and recorded

In light writing on the past vellum darkness

Spoken lives and drawn images

Done in silverpoint

On the travelled tattooed skin of your life

Amazed at the wonder

Of stars and codices

Of monster myth and learned legend

Released and realised

Into the light of your mind

perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim

 

Learn you

Of the stones and waters

That cause the shimmer

And streams

of your past personality

Of the ancient tragic possessions left behind

And the growth of small lightless pools

In the dripping caves

Called thinking

Walk around and

Dream you

Of what is to come and see

The crystals of your wishes

Fruit on fractured stone boughs

And coloured rock gardens

In the light of future

Creation.

 

Author's Note

perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. Be patient and strong this pain may one day be useful to you. Ancient cartographers would place 'Here be Dragons', on unknown territories on maps. The photograph is mine and called Light Blown.

Reviews

[TL Boehm]

Listen you

To the waves of sound that breach

A surface

In the music of your dreams

When you left this place

And the world opened

Its windows

this is anthemic to me - a deep calls to deep statement - although I am not especially "Deep" I just found the words powerful.

[Ken Simm.]

Sorry for the delay in replying Tammy. I have been away taking photographs this last week. I'm glad you liked this thank you so much

[Jack...]

Read you - of this perfectly penned poetic journey. Ken, I was having a conversation with someone this weekend about our favorite poets on this site, you were at the top of both lists. Always my mind learns and absorbs when reading your work. Beautiful my friend.

[Lydia Shutter]

You transported us lyrically to a place of beauty. Magical wishes come true between the lines of poetry such as this. Absolutely enchanting. Lydi**

[Ken Simm.]

What lovely things to say Lyndi. I am honoured.

[Frieda P]

How is it you can take the same words we all use but you lavish them with just the right brush strokes to make them so magnificently poignant Ken, seeing nature and poetry through your eyes is a feast for mine. I adore your every word, your elegant style always takes my breath away, I love how you are so enamored with nature and bring that beauty to us through your poetry....you 'cause the' shimmer'. Can never say enough about your work, suffice to say je t'aime.

[Ken Simm.]

Thank you Frieda. This was trying to teach others what I saw.

[Frieda P]

Ken, I'm completely certain you could write a synopsis on how to blow one's nose and it'd be a piece of art....you slay me.

[Emily B]

these are perfect words for us all

perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim

[Ken Simm.]

Yes they are Emily. Thank you so much.

[s y e]

This is great, Ken - I loved the structure and wording of it. It's great, well done.

[Ken Simm.]

Thank you my friend.

[TrimarcoRansome]

What a wonderful poem, Ken! The answers to all we seek are already surrounding us, we just need to open our eyes to see!

[Ken Simm.]

When I was teaching the three real 'R's were Literacy, Numeracy and Developing a true Sense of Perception. One that could be learned from. That is what drawing is to me, learning how to use my senses, whatever the medium. Thank you so much my friend for those wise words.

[TrimarcoRansome]

You are very welcome. I spent many years working with adolescents, showing them there is more to the world than the dreary drug littered streets on which they stood, better ways of thinking, opportunities to be grasped...I often reflect about where and what they are doing now, I do know I made a difference to some of them. This poem reminded me of those times

[OTownPete]

While you are at it it may behoove you to catlog these dreams, noting the sights and the smells, to pass along as you fill your role as mentor. Nicely written piece. Your friend in words, Pete

[Ken Simm.]

Its more dreaming of what I want to learn and perhaps teach others my friend. I have noted my dreams including the lucid ones for as long as I can remember. I thank you most heartily for your great words my friend.

[Sami Khalil]

A splendid read and write...Thank you for sharing...Learning to learn is ever and ever important till death . An ever and continuous process...Bravo

[Ken Simm.]

That is why I always say it is a journey never a destination Sami. Thank you so much.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow. Good to know...You are welcome...:)