Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Sestina With Child


April 26, 2011 “If there were no poetry on any day in the world, poetry would be invented that day. For there would be an intolerable hunger. “ Muriel Rukeyser


Sestina With Child

I wrote and sang a lullaby

because there was a little girl

who needed quite a lot of comfort

to help her go to sleep.

I sang about the moon

and stars we see at night.


Then sometime in the night

I heard that lovely lullaby

that told of a silvery moon

and pushed the little girl

into the magic time of sleep.

It gives us all such comfort.


And when I receive comfort

awake or in the night

I have a dreamless sleep

with little need for a lullaby,

just a smile from a little girl

and maybe a peek at the moon.


I gaze up at the moon

drawing all the comfort

I might sing to the girl

when she needs it in the night.

I put electric stars in my lullaby

so she might drowse to sleep.


Imagine eyes closed in sleep

a face lit by the moon.

T’will be her only lullaby

And fill her with the comfort

That doesn’t come with night.

All this for the little girl.


A woman remembers, “When I was a girl

And was restless in my sleep,

I tossed and turned throughout the night

Unless there was a moon

To lighten the dark and give me comfort.

It was like my personal lullaby.”


In the long night—creating a lullaby—

for the sweetest sleep and continuing comfort,

give all girls a slice of the moon.

If you'd like to write a sestina: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sestina

8 comments:

  1. I read this twice I liked it so much. Very lullaby like...I'm so impressed with all the poetry you have written this month. Will you be glad when April is over?

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  2. Thank you Deb. And yes, I think I'll take a little break! How is your grandchild?

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  3. What a beautiful poem! Thank you for sharing it. Can't wait to explore your blog and see your other treasures!

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  4. What a beautiful poem. It quickly brought me back to late night/early mornings with my boys...humming along with the crickets with the moon lighting up the room. I agree...it is very lullaby like.

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  5. Once again you have used the magic of words to take me to a very quiet place. Your poetry is amazing! I am in awe.

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  6. Very nice. Comforting. Thanks for the lullaby!

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  7. The last two verses are my favorite - the repetition of your words makes your poem sound like a song.

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  8. I'd love to hear the melody that goes with this poem! Maybe you could put the audio with this! Thanks for sharing! Happy slicing!

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