Thursday, January 15, 2009

271. Black.


MY TRUE COLOURS suggested a poem linked to the colour BLACK.

BLACK.

Trees, when they shed their leaves
Create their own memorials.

No chiselled platitudes:
'Died, September 1950:
Resurrected April 1951'
No heavy angelic carving,
No stiff unbending stone trees,
Lowering over the dear departed.
No representations of leaves
Falling eternally
Like tears.


But a tracery of denuded branches,
Stark against the winter sky;
Arms raised gracefully,
Pleading for the sun.


So it is, sometimes,
With gutted buildings.


They accidentally invent
Memorials
More moving
Than any stone-smith could create.


The destruction of the Twin Towers
Called forth
Twisted metal
That was both elegant and archaic.


So it is with Brighton Pier.
Did I really walk its boards
When both of us were young?
Was there really colour, noise,
Funny hats, icecream,
Youth?


Brighton Pier has attained
A grace in death
That it never revealed in life.
The flames purified it
And turned it into
A work of art.





Yesterday's mystery phrase was 'Can you kick a ball against a wall, head it and burst it?'

7 comments:

Dragonstar said...

Perfect! Beautiful photo, too.

Jinksy said...

A poem as beautifully atmospheric as the picture which preceded it.

Winifred said...

You always have such amazing photos and produce poems which go so beautifully with them.

ChrisJ said...

That's a great photo and poem. I remember seeing one scene of the Twin Towers with three twisted metal frames raised upwards. It was a poetic memorial to me. I wish I could paint it and capture it forever.

Mari Meehan said...

After having decided not to do a post on Roland Burris' (Obama's Senate replacement select) tomb, it was wonderful to read this! You should get a good chuckle if you do a Google image search!

Poopsie aka Blue said...

Hi there!

Thanks for your visit.
I'm sorry, didn't realise you'd played True Colours Thursday, but am delighted you're using my colour prompt for your verse.
I've just read & enjoyed your contribution for Black immensely.

I know the West Pier well as regularly visit Brighton.
Seeing it's skeleton always saddens but creates great photo opportunites. There are shots from my last visit in Nov on my current blog.

Will look forward to seeing what Purple brings verse from you & add your link to the participants blog roll.

Best wishes
Blue

Poopsie aka Blue said...

Opps, think I said Purple but this weeks colour is Turquoise!