This picture came from Living Off The Grid, a site dedicated to homesteading.
"The world is not respectable; it is mortal, tormented, confused, deluded forever; but it is shot through with beauty, with love, with glints of courage and laughter; and in these, the spirit blooms timidly, and struggles to the light amid the thorns."
- George Santayana
I have no idea what it would really be like to homestead except I am afraid, I know, of that much of that kind of work. Of course with this old body it would be out of the question. However, as with all poetry of the kind I like, everything can be read allegorically. This could be allegory for how a relationship with lovers is going. How about my relationship with God? Or for that matter, the relationship between my insides and my outsides? Or yours? That's the poetry game.
The Old Farm House
Hard packed, the floor feels
so old to my bare feet, toes
slip in fine grit missed
when last you swept with
the old straw broom that works best
to take the messes
out the door. The gloom
within suits my mood this day
better than the hot
sun bleaching color outside.
All that is light there
turns darker within.
July 19, 2009 10:53 AM
first i read your poem. I sense that it's a dirtfloor house in the heat. Only when it's hot outside the inside feels like that. Here now (my cabin in the bright winterwonderland) the inside darkness feels very warm and cozy. my feet in wool socks. Amazingly we did have sand on the floor, summer was just yesterday(literally) and surprizing us all it fell out of someones pocket.
ReplyDeleteThen you talk about looking at relationships that way! hmmmm :) now... i could write another few chapters about that. I love looking at life that way.
Yes Jozien, a dirt floor barefoot primitive homestead of a relationship with God cooking destiny up on the stove at the back of the house, suggesting we dig a new privy since the other one is full. If we had enough water we could have a bath. And if someone took the three day trip to town we might have some toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteI can see connections on many levels as you mentioned. I would have to choose the relationship between the homesteaders, but then again .... God has swept some crazy messes our the door for me.....
ReplyDeleteExactly how that could go.
ReplyDeleteI liked the place as described, and even with this old body, I sometimes think I’d like to live in one of these abandoned places off the grid. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI write possibilities, I suppose. In some other life, I would try homesteading. Those who know me in this one begin hooting when I say such a thing.
ReplyDeleteRelationship between outter and inner - now there's a though for pondering...
ReplyDeleteI like the way your poems make me think.
Thank you, Jinsky.
ReplyDelete