“White Flag”
Diorama from North American Mammals Section of the American Museum of Natural History (from AMNH’s site)
White Flag
We go to the museum
after a spat, the white flag
between us deep rose
as it’s raised and crimped a bit
as lips tend to be
aborting retort, though
it unfurls soon enough
under the spiny heights of browned bones
in smiles that flash,
rather than bare,
our teeth (slightly yellowing).
Until we’re faced with a true war – man
against planet – and root together, on the wrong
side of the diorama, for the two wolves’ bristling run
across a snow as flat as cloth, a painted
peace, shivering
suddenly
even in the cramped
corridor, the darkness
a furred hood, wishing, as one, for somewhere’s
frozen luminescence, somewhere’s crust
of North-lit pine, somewhere’s fanged
wind, sharp
possibility, bite not yet
surrendered.
Quiet
walking back
to the train.
****************************************
Here’s a rather odd poem for dVerse Poets Pub’s prompt on peace hosted by Mary Kling. The picture is a picture of one of the newly restored dioramas at the wonderful American Museum of Natural History in NYC.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetryTags: "White Flag", making peace at AMNH poem, man against planet, manicddaily, White Flag poem, wolves running under glass poem
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January 6, 2013 at 1:16 pm
nice…i like how some things set our life and personal conflicts into relation to what’s going on in the world around us…and we realize how small they really are even though they seemed to be like huge mountains a few moments ago..
January 6, 2013 at 1:19 pm
Ah, karin–you really made this one live and breathe for me–our petty wars and bickerings, inter-personal, inter-cultural, blah blah blah, and then the important things, the real wars, of ideas, of reality, of perspective and proportion. But all this analysis is fine, but the heart of the piece is its poetic–beautifully rendered image and language, no wasted words, yet a lavish imagination at play, evoking all the strong visuals that drive the message. My favorite lines,
‘..across a snow as flat as cloth, a painted
peace..’ and the entire first two stanzas, every word. End is excellent as well–so I guess the whole thing is my favorite.
January 6, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Thanks, ha! It went through a lot of iterations since starting – finally tried for greater directness which usually works best for me. Thanks again. k.
January 6, 2013 at 1:46 pm
I enjoyed this very much, Karin. Definitely shows how people may disagree on the minor things in life; but yet when it comes time to fight for the important things they rally together strongly and put the minor differences behind. Your poem very effectively made that point…and clearly so!
January 6, 2013 at 2:10 pm
smiles…cool piece k…i need to come visit again just to go see this exhibit….it looks pretty cool….i like how you enter this, through the reality of life, the little spats…and our white flags…and then zoom out to larger conflict as well….
January 6, 2013 at 2:11 pm
Thanks, Brian. If you come to City with your boys, they would love the museum. k.
January 6, 2013 at 2:50 pm
Really effective approach to the theme from my perspective, bringing to mind for me how we go about “normal” while simmering beneath the surface until, most often, anger dissipates or dips into the subconscious and festers.
January 6, 2013 at 3:43 pm
a beautiful pairing of the prompt and the pic… great to put things in their proper perspective, so beautifully.
January 7, 2013 at 12:22 am
Thanks for asking = )
here’s my blog http://lovepats.blogspot.com
January 6, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Such a beautiful interpretation of the image. I love the thought of the wolves running…..”somewhere’s fanged wind, sharp possibility” is marvellous.
January 6, 2013 at 5:51 pm
Sometimes we waste so much time majoring on the minors, emphasising our differences rather than celebrating our similarities. The contrast with life beyond the human world is stark – and your words here have brought it into sharper focus.
January 6, 2013 at 6:18 pm
Thanks so much, Tony. k.
January 6, 2013 at 8:26 pm
I like the use of the white flag between the couple who are not on good terms. Comparing the spat with the true wars clinches it for me ~ Peace ~
January 6, 2013 at 9:36 pm
Very common, very real, day-to-day managing of relationships…coming and going, in and out of peace. Love the artwork of the wolves…powerful..and peaceful.
January 6, 2013 at 9:59 pm
Thanks – the artwork is really the picture of the diorama – the wolves are taxidermied – stuffed – real wolves running across a painted tableau. There are a bunch of them – all terribly impressive. k.
January 6, 2013 at 11:41 pm
I’ll bet it is impressive…I would love to see that.
January 7, 2013 at 1:12 am
Karin, this was so perceptive. The concept of “aborting retorts” is not only poetically fitting, it’s also so visuallly captivating. The journey from spat to contemplation is so real. Also, I’ve seen that diorama, believe it or not! Stuffed (real) animals always skeeve me out! Thanks for stopping by my place, hon. Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/01/05/peace-and-war-and-pieces-of-human-beings-on-the-ground/
January 7, 2013 at 6:05 am
A fine poem which was a joy to read.
the darkness
a furred hood, wishing, as one, for somewhere’s
frozen luminescence
stayed with me afterwards.
January 7, 2013 at 6:41 am
Thanks, Dave. k.
January 7, 2013 at 11:42 am
Love this whole Jack London “White Fang” thing gonig on. Bravo.
January 7, 2013 at 11:46 am
Ha. Thanks. Yes, I thought of that too, but really as an afterthought. Thanks for noting. k.
January 7, 2013 at 6:43 pm
The third stanza is earth shaking! Wonderful ~Fondly D
January 7, 2013 at 7:28 pm
Thank you, Deborah.
January 7, 2013 at 10:24 pm
…wise words from you Karin… a most enjoyable to read… truly saved the best for last… and oh, i just realized… i haven’t been back to a museum this late… smiles…