Ode to A Rock (On a Bedside Table)
Ode to a Rock (on a Bedside Table)
You’re heavier than
your grey,
and so rounded
you’d pass for a stone
if rolled some way.
And I (meaning me)
could use you, my husband says one night,
to throw at the forehead of
a gunman, knock
him out.
This casts you
in a somewhat different light–
no longer an oversized bite
of forest floor, something to hold open
a door,
but a possible means of deliverance
like the rock rolled away
from the tomb.
Only not.
For I’m not sure gunmen are swayed
by rocks, certainly not rocks
of faith, ages–
Hard to understand
even when your heft
weighs down my hand
that you will outlast its flesh–
that all our individual flash
will transmute to dust, ash,
while the wind still feeds on you–
So, life seems to pass faster
than a speeding bullet for some,
while for others, it is taken away
at exactly
that pace–
*****************************
A draftish poem of sorts for my own prompt on Real Toads to make an ode to something relatively quotidian. This one, of course, is very influenced by the horrible tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina, this past week, at the Emmanuel African Methodist Church.
I’ve edited this since first posted, as the end didn’t quite get across the meaning I was aiming for. Thanks. k.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: Charleston Church murders poem, different kind of head stone poem, Emmanuel African Methodist Church, manicddaily, Ode to a Rock (On a Bedside Table), ode to the quotidian
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ManicDDaily 
June 20, 2015 at 3:47 pm
This is brilliant.. loved these lines:
This casts you
in a somewhat different light–
no longer an oversized bite
of forest floor, something to hold open
a door,
Excellent write 😀
Lots of love,
Sanaa
June 20, 2015 at 4:04 pm
Oh.. you should never underestimate the force of the rock, even if I guess the gunman feels invincible which is exactly why guns should be far from people’s hands.
June 20, 2015 at 6:02 pm
I love these sections:
“no longer an oversized bite
of forest floor, something to hold open
a door,
but a possible means of deliverance
like the rock rolled away
from the tomb.
Only not.”
“faith, ages–
Hard to understand
even when your heft
weighs down my hand”
The ending … well, the whole piece, actually. 😛 This is really wonderful.
June 20, 2015 at 6:21 pm
This has a lovely pace – a nice pondering poem that builds in intensity and thought. Are you sure this is a draft?
June 20, 2015 at 9:04 pm
Life does seem to pass by way too fast — and is as unpredictable as our neighbor. I like how you equate deliverance through bashing and intruder with a rock to the rock that rolled away. Ha.
All too sad though what has happened in SC.
June 20, 2015 at 11:55 pm
really like what the rock triggers…a deeply touching poem…
June 21, 2015 at 3:50 am
Your contemplations of this rock’s nature are so mirrored in a contemplation of mortality, sentience and perhaps even purpose that each line and turn of original phrase is its own complete heiroglyph, symbol of so much more than what it says. Really an excellent use of language in this as well, k (flesh, flash,dust,ash.) I have a small hand-axe by my bedside for self-defense–I don’t think it partakes as much of the soul of anything as this stone.
June 22, 2015 at 8:11 am
On a second reading,k, I think your meaning is a lot clearer–rather wooly-headed yesterday, I’m afraid–and also the edit in the last lines helps, but you do definitely set it up in the third and fourth stanzas, that sense of how little protection we have, even in the nature of the earth itself. Anyway, I think the tenuous play of that ambiguity makes the poem stronger.
June 22, 2015 at 8:54 am
Thanks. I am sure the change helps a lot, especially since pace is a rather odd word. I like it okay for now because of the resonance with pass, and span (in terms of distance) as well as speed, but it may not be the clearest word in this context. Thanks again for your help. k.
On Mon, Jun 22, 2015 at 9:11 AM, ManicDDaily wrote:
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June 21, 2015 at 6:43 am
I am amaze how that one rock can bring forth such reflections…it reminds me of story of David & Goliath ~ Indeed it will outlast us, inevitably ~ Thanks for the lovely challenge K and all the best to the wedding ~
June 21, 2015 at 9:14 am
Yes, I thought of David and Goliath too, but took the reference out as I wanted to keep the poem relatively short. Thanks, Grace. k.
June 21, 2015 at 11:10 am
an oversized bite
of forest floor… this is an excellent way of changing the viewpoint of the rock from object to something ageless and perhaps slightly out of place beside the bed. I also like the way you suggest that it will outlast the one who collected it, perhaps all of humanity and still remain.
June 21, 2015 at 11:19 am
Wow..I moved through a few emotions while reading your ode. What appeared ordinary became humorous, protective and then vulnerable.
June 21, 2015 at 2:54 pm
Goliath wasn’t deterred by David’s rock either, until it hit in his head. Not sure though, that I would carry a rock to church with me, just in case.
BTW, I have a few rocks around. They have meaning. To them and to me.
Best wishes for the wedding. Will we be seeing your “Mother-of-the-bride’s” pretty dress?
..
June 21, 2015 at 3:35 pm
Ha. I would not carry a rock anywhere! I have gotten a very pretty dress but I’m not sure I’ll post pictures with it! Thanks, Jim. K.
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June 21, 2015 at 3:57 pm
This is tremendously well done, K. It moves effortlessly from small to large effortlessly, and the close is really outstanding.
June 21, 2015 at 7:22 pm
A powerful message lies in your simple rock.
June 21, 2015 at 7:42 pm
thoughtful, K ~
June 21, 2015 at 10:50 pm
Wow…this good stuff; simple, yet profound.
June 22, 2015 at 11:43 am
So very poignant and beautifully worded.
June 23, 2015 at 8:04 am
Your playful rhyming at first makes the poem seem like just a fun ode to a rock. But as one reads further, you capture the seriousness of protection, fear, morality, and death. Very well done!
June 23, 2015 at 7:14 pm
I appreciate the way this starts out small/light and ends big/heavy…excellent shift. Thank you, for the challenge, Karen…sorry for being so late…I couldn’t pass it up and finally got some time. 🙂
June 24, 2015 at 3:22 pm
A beautiful, meditative piece. I really enjoyed it. Thanks.
Greetings from London.