 |
| (c) Kim Nelson |
Bluebird Heart
Bluebird heart, hid in the dark, singing sun out of
the sleet.
Blue nest deep, twigging cold bones, tumbles up its meaning in dreams.
Bluebird heart, child's black-bead eye smiling, testifying songs can't freeze.
Blue nest deep, twigging cold bones, tumbles up its meaning in dreams.
Bluebird heart, child's black-bead eye smiling, testifying songs can't freeze.
~January 2013
Posted for real toads
Sunday Mini-Challenge: The Visual Art of Kim Nelson
This poem is written in the sijo form, a Korean form traditionally used for sung ballads, introduced to me by Kerry O'Connor. It is a three line syllable counting form with midline ceasuras(breaks) to form a poem of phrases. Kerry explains it in detail here.
"singing sun out of the sleet" love that.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's true, isn't it, that songs can't freeze? Sing on, Bluebird sista.
Ah. Really lovely. Beautiful sounds. Love the song from sleet. The twigging and tweeting and the ominous testimony.
ReplyDeleteAnd the length. Why I should stick to forms! So great to be so distilled and sweet and full at once, with such a wonderful melody despite the darkness at the core too. k.
ha intriguing beat to this..also like how the first line and the last line play...singing songs out of sleet...and songs cant freeze...better'n church hedge....smiles.
ReplyDeleteThe form, which I've not played enough with, is a powerful tool for adding depth of meaning, line- by- line. Your message of mastering the elements is lyrically conveyed. As is always so, you teach me, Hedge.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kim. The first thing I saw in this was a bluebird in flight. Looking again I can see a lot of other things--a mad monk, a cross, a blue whirlwind at a crossroads...but hey, I went with what I had.
DeleteI love that you saw a bluebird in this painting. It is so uplifting to read in combination with the image. The sijo form works so well at creating impact, and I like the repetition of words and sounds.
ReplyDeletelove that last phrase.
ReplyDeleteThis is the image I love best, too, out of those offered. I LOVE Bluebird Heart, and your lovely poem. Total upper in here this morning.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! How wonderfully you perpetuate your myth as a poetic goddess of creative thought !!
ReplyDelete"singing sun out of the sleet." = WOW!
"testifying songs can't freeze" like that.
ReplyDeleteInteresting... so many of us wrote rhyming poems to go with Kim's art. I don't know why I see a frightened child imagining the bluebird to get through whatever is going on...
ReplyDelete"testifying songs can't freeze" love that. It shows there can be a song even in the coldest part of life. Beautiful!
ReplyDelete..I have to visit 'frogs' more often..bluebirds connote happiness..
ReplyDeleteAs I read this poem (before I read the notes) ... a tune began playing in my mind.
ReplyDeleteYour perceptions, your voice is so unique and makes me see things I missed first time around. I loved this. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI love how brought the painting to life with colors and form Hedge ~
ReplyDeleteThis reads like a song to me when I read it out loud ~
Edible, Hedge!!! So much sound play and poetic excellence!! Love this...sleet and deep...your first line really gets me and the image of the smile in a child's eye...rich, rich stuff you've brought forward my friend!!
ReplyDeleteoh, beautiful!love the 'bluebird heart' and 'songs can't freeze'.
ReplyDelete