Bring Along a Lantern

Sometimes, the brightness is too dark....

Bring Along a Lantern

 

Night is not

The only dark thing

In the sky this eve

 

There are

Cormorants and crows

Here too

 

Both despised

By fisherman and

Farmers

 

Come winter tho

I too shall be thus

Exposed and starkly

 

Juxtaposed against

A backcloth of both

Pure and brilliant white

 

So I do beg thee

Bring along a lantern

And draw the night behind you

 

 

Author's Note

Think again....

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

What a fine poem Neville, although I felt that darkness. I have certainly not been a lover of crows or cormorants.. Light and dark we need them both. Opposites. And should the darkness concern you I will be there with my lantern, no begging required. Lovely work.

Chris

[Neville]

Aw thank you Chris... can I swap ya two cormorants for a crow..... x

[Chris Shaw]

You must be a lover of fish, so are cormorants. Crows feed on carrion:)

[Neville]

if that original offer is still open, I am on me way....

[Chris Shaw]

Holding the lantern :)

[Neville]

am I getting warmer...

[Chris Shaw]

:))...................

[Einstein Noodle]

oh i love it sir...only you could think to make the crows and cormorants disappear in the night by bringing a lantern ..i love the crows ...and ravens ..such deliberate omens says i .. i have never been much of a water person other than streams and brooks so cormorants have not been in me life .. so thank you for the introduction ;) very clever story telling .. intellectually stimulating .. with a dash of spiritual contemplating :) never disappointed visiting your "stuff" sir
E.

[Neville]

as always Gene you are far to generous, and as always, I am most grateful to ya... and bloomin true... N

[Cherrie]

What a excellent visual to end this poem with.

[Neville]

thank you so very much Cherrie.. many thanks indeed... Neville

[Cherrie]

I really enjoyed the style of verbiage used, the sound it has when read aloud.
Which is how I think poetry should be read.
..and the visual of shadows shading the night.

[Neville]

too bloomin kind for words y'are x

[Mrudula Rani]

Your tercets are composed expertly, superb poetry, Neville. You are right about brightness, Some times the brightness can obliterate everything in its vicinity... I never saw a cormorant in person, I did see a documentary about them and how in some parts of the world they exploit these birds for fishing purposes, and felt very sad.

[Neville]

Hey M good to see you here this fine frosty mane... bless you my friend... its okay bumping into a cormorant unless ya look like a fish.. which of course, you dont.. have a blessed day and take care.... Nevillex

[Mrudula Rani]

I hope the weather has gotten a little warmer there now. We are getting a lot of rains here suddenly. Have a great week my friend.

[Neville]

The weather is so changeable here this winter, it was heavy frost this early mane, then the sun came out and now the moon brings a chill again....... stay warm & dry M... N :)

[Eilis]

I find this striking. Beautiful. The sideways approaching way you come to snow and the dark spirit that can also follow winter in the door. At least that’s what it made me think of.

January is often the whitest and darkest month, in my universe. Winter can draw itself, stretch itself so fully and thickly over everything that it can be difficult to remember the landscape in its more amiable spirits. And how that can also touch the inner landscape.

I really enjoyed the depth and physicality of this. The birds. A poem with birds is almost always a winner in my book. And the way you’ve brought the two in here is magical. I thought of Borges and Frost at the same moment in the reading and thought it a lovely mixing of flight and grounding.

I could go on here...I have a lot I haven’t said, but I’ll just leave it at: I wish I had written such a beautiful poem. Lovely work, as ever.

Here’s to hoping we can all / and always / hold out a lantern for one another, when needed.

[Neville]

my word my friend, I really can not thank you enough for such encouraging and otherwise glowing sentiments... and of course reciprocated Neville

[Lorry]

For those moments in life that require movie spotlights, preferably beaming the batman logo in the sky to scare off those pesky birds and restore calm, or nearest semblance thereof.
Hmm, why did the use of whereof die out? I haven't the wherewithall to say, as those bloody birds are driving me crazy. Here comes farmer Smith to help out. He has the wherewithall, doesn't he boys and girls? Yes, a remington 12 bore will soon take care of them and here are all the locals coming to lend a hand too, with the confiscated, illegal lanterns from the chinese cracker factory bust.
My, that was a close call, wasn't it boys and girls? But we all came together and helped poor Neville before he took matters into his own hands. And all in time for a yummy cream bun tea.
...uhm, wtf just happened? One minute I was reviewing your fine words and the next I was in a famous five story. I think I was the dog :)

[Neville]

I just can't thank thee enuf sir... the aforementioned shall henceforth feature amongst mine increasing repertoire of interventional approaches to rid myself of them pesky critters.. aye, by St' George they shall thus feature.... :)

[Onlyme]

Great piece of writing Neville, a stark contrast from dark to light. And the crows and cormorants to us the general public. And in cities. No problem. But like you said to farmers and fisherman. Major nuisance in general, those creatures.

[Neville]

thanks Dawn... much appreciated.. those cormorants tho are now visiting cities all over... I blame those cheap day returns.... :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

reminds me of Thomas Wolfe's "Child by Tiger" and the imagery in that story...juxtaposing the black and against the white...the red clashing with the white snowfall...
and the last line is interesting...could be taken two ways...draw the night as in actually creating a drawing...or bring it with you...draw it behind you...
j.

[Neville]

you sir are amongst the stutest of stutes.. many thanks jacob... Neville

[Ted Kniffen]

This is a right fine bit of writing and demonstrates the many degrees of darkness. We have large rookeries of both cormorants and crows in our part of the world, but they haven't' been much bother...so far.
I remember the days of kerosene lanterns and the funky smell they gave off...still use one occasionally when camping.

A good write, Neville.

[Neville]

thank you Ted.. I am currently surrounded by the scent of wood smoke and that funky smell you refer to.. tis kinda special and I totally understand your view of darkness .......tis them pesky cormorants that bug me .....

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

Drawing the line between dark and light is ever so fine....could take a life time...🌹

[Neville]

its gonna be a long wait but its gonna be worth it... :)

[‘Thoughts In Time’🌹]

All things come to those that must at right time and place...🌹