Through Tess at Magpie Tales, image by Mostafa Habibi
I write this poem for this week's Magpie Tales
For Magpie Tales #95 *click here*
Cancer Rising
The abandoned boat resting
on the verge of things caught me
and I am amazed
that this beach ate me
alive like a crab fearing
the coming noontide
crowds, the gulls intent
on piercing my soft salt shell.
I need your help now.
I can't dig me out
alone at this point. Please come,
or my eyes will be plucked out.
written December 11, 2011 8:42 AM
The crab is the sign Cancer becomes cancer and the tide rising is a foretelling and so astrology becomes the abandoned boat and illness is me buried in the sand on the shore of mortality. Finally, cancer becomes a broken heart. That is the poet path, where the muse led me on this one.
By the way, I suffer the broken heart, not the cancer.
My call holds, for it is universal,
"Please come, or my eyes will be plucked out!"
Oh, this is such a strong metaphor... an excellent piece! The pictures are perfect, although I have to wonder who the man is.
ReplyDeleteStrong images of the ravaged, especially of "gulls intent / on piercing my soft salt shell" (nice alliteration) and the plucking out of the eyes. So many different ways that we all come to lose our seeing.
ReplyDeleteI love this part:
ReplyDelete"that this beach ate me
alive like a crab fearing"
Tugging on my heart, this one-- the honesty of "please come"-- bravo. And the beauty and power of your language, beautifully crafted imagery.
ReplyDeletexxxj
I love what you did this week ... the image was not easy to interpret. You managed it well.
ReplyDeleteHearts mend, stronger with the scar tissue; plucked eyes are gone forever - yet - the seeing may continue?
ReplyDeleteFine poem Christopher, seething with sincerity.
Isabel x
Excellent write, Christopher.
ReplyDeleteA call none could refuse, surely...
ReplyDeleteThank you all. I wish I could be more active socially but my energy is seriously compromised these days.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Christopher, every word pulling its weight.
ReplyDeleteReading this has me wanting to rush to offer help and healing...♥
ReplyDeleteLovely incorporation of the star sign into this piece...
ReplyDeleteExcellent words Christopher and I would readily help in any way.
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]