Eclipse

This week's Sunday Scribblings prompt is "superstition". Tonight's lunar eclipse inspired me. Above is one of the photos I took of it, and below is my poem based on it:

We saw red,
Red above us where white should be —
Or at least gold or silver —
But not this odd crimson,
So like a muddy river's bank
Whose clay swirled round our ankles —
Liquid rust which disappeared our feet.

As this creeping celestial ooze masked
Night's comforting face,
We looked at each other,
Imploring, blaming, hating:
Not enough sacrifice at harvest?
How could you have been so neglectful?
Have you looked at us with evil eyes,
And who has looked that way at you?
Which deities have you angered?

Yet we found no fault in each other.
So, with no one left to curse,
We each turned inward,
Closed our eyes,
Breathed,
Cried,
And became as silent as the stones piled around our lunar temple.

"Mother!"
A shout woke us from our penitence
And we again stared skyward.
We could see her,
Peeking cautiously,
Smiling at seeing us gathered.

Perhaps a water deity
Had flown on an owl's wings
To wash away her silt
And our failures.

To read more takes on "superstition", go to this week's Sunday Scribblings.

Comments

[rel]

KG,
Well done!
Recognize the superstition, aknowledge it's lore, and wash it away poeticalll while witness a marvelous phenomenom.
rel

[Waspgoddess]

First of all the photo is very impressive, we didn't even bother trying, knowing it wouldn't come out.

I like the poem, it fits perfectly with last night's event and the prompt. We were talking about the exact thing as we were gazing up at the sky last night; what would people have thought millennia ago...

[Tammy]

KG, Nice to meet you! I loved your poem and your amazing picture. Funny that next weeks theme for Poetry Thursday is "red."

[Nicole]

lovely poem. it was too cloudly to see the eclipse where i live, but your picture does it fine justice.

[Tori]

Beautiful poem. I am sure that you were inspired to write based on the magnificant sight you photographed.

[Kimberley McGill]

Your poem enchanted me - I think "superstition" "myth" etc. add poetry to our life. Very well done!

[Inconsequential]

excellent, loved the regression to fearful ignorance. good piece.
Impressed.

[KG]

Everyone — You are all crucial parts of a supportive, insightful, creative, able, inspired writers community. I am honored to have recently become a member of it. Thank you so much.

[jason evans]

Great picture! Thanks for sharing it.

This was my favorite line:

Liquid rust which disappeared our feet

Great imagery.

[KG]

Hi Jason — Thanks for your feedback! Judging from the title of your blog alone, I can see why you like the photo. ;)

[gautami]

Simply beautiful!

[KG]

Thanks, Gautami.