Stone Story No. 1
Japanese
stone
What
past hand has sketched the future
dark-red,
drawings of a sky of trees?
Stars,
the moon, petals, branches
in
the snow. Rivers or veins.
Jet
trails across a sky darkening to puce
as travellers
head for the other side.
Our
son, too, drawn
to
another country, another culture,
settling
down there. Planting
the garnet-coloured placentas
of his babies, his father-in-law
carrying
them on
a train
along faithful lines. Their deep-blood
buried inside that family's
ancient ground, under their own trees;
a magnolia, an olive.
Kay McKenzie Cooke
6 comments:
Oh, this is so lovely, and sad.... I am so glad my sons brought their wives here, but it's sad for the families on the other side whose grandchildren are not rooted in THEIR soil.
Nevertheless.
I love this too. My favourite part: "Planting
the garnet-coloured placentas..." How wonderfully this chimes with the rest.
Joyce - I actually don't feel sad about it, just amazed at how things turn out I think :)
Clare - Thanks. I am having a great time writing the stories the stones convey (to me).
kay, beautiful. i had a feeling of sadness too, of loss. i was glad to read your comment, and i know what you mean. how things turn out--time, place, order, descendants, is a mystery to me too.
i do know your family is lucky to have you. do you know i admire you? :^)
love
kj
Beautiful, great talent!!!
Karen - Thanks, you are so sweet to say that! Life is wonderment!
Emma - Thanks so much for your comment. :)
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