Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Light and Dark

  "...the man in the street does not know a star in the sky. 
The solstice he does not observe; the equinox he knows as little; 
and the whole bright calendar of the year is without a dial in his mind. "


Midweek Motif ~ Light and Dark

(The Longest/Shortest Day, Solstice)

In the Northern Hemisphere, our days lengthen into summer until our longest day, this year Friday, 20 June (the precise solstice is at 6:51 AM (ET) on Saturday, June 21).  In the Southern Hemisphere, our days shorten into winter until this shortest day. Thus, in the North we are about to experience the slow (re)turn to Dark; in the South we are about to experience the slow (re)turn to Light.

Your Challenge:  Use longest/shortest day or return to Light/Dark—as a metaphor in a new poem.  


Poetic inspiration:


Day in Autumn

BY RAINER MARIA RILKE,  TRANSLATED BY MARY KINZIE Read the translator's notes
After the summer's yield, Lord, it is time
to let your shadow lengthen on the sundials
and in the pastures let the rough winds fly.


As for the final fruits, coax them to roundness.
Direct on them two days of warmer light
. . . .   ( Continue reading HERE.)

We Have Not Long To Love

We have not long to love.
Light does not stay.
The tender things are those
we fold away.
. . . .   (Read the rest HERE.)



Please:  
1.      Post your poem with its  Light and Dark motif on your site, and then link it here.
2.      Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 
3.      Leave a comment here.
4.      Honor our community by visiting and commenting on others' poems.

(Next week's Midweek Motif is Diary Stories.)

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53 comments:

  1. Good morning, poets. !
    Today Mr. Linky is working. And I had his Doctor standing by to see the problem in action, which may be the charm. Or it may have been Mary, cautioning me to re-install
    I think it's going to be a great day!

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    1. Whoopee!! I will be back with a poem later.

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    2. Thank you Brian and Mary and Mr. Linky. Lots of brightness is here today.

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  2. a great day to you Susan and thanks for a fun sunny prompt

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  3. Thank you Susan for another inspiring prompt!!

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  4. "It's not without a dial in his mind"
    It is in mine!.
    To me the Summer solstice is more important than its antithesis: Christmas. We celebrate the sun-up each year at a soul nurturing spot. [If I wake up in time that is :-)]
    Thanks for the prompt and this great post.

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    1. Old Emerson took on preaching once he felt he knew the answer to how to live in harmony with God and Nature. I hesitated to use his insult, but figured some would find him fuel to their fire. Bravo on your celebration. If you start before you sleep, sun-up will surely visit your dreams.

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  5. good morning susan...had to run off to summer school this morning...but have read to current and will be back once the bell rings at lunch to see what others bring....

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    1. I hope the classes you teach are rewarding. We ladies at Poets United love your engagement here which goes way beyond your art and commentary on that of others. You are a rock, a tree, a force, a support and a nurturing presence. Thank you.

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    2. I second you on this, Susan. Brian, we so appreciate your visits - your Presence - here! Bless you.

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  6. this is for the motif-light and dark.
    the light and the dark that i use is in metaphoric reference to the blind for homeless, for Veterans, for immigrants.
    also, for my brother who passed in this blind ugliness

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    1. you rang my bell pretty good man...and pulled my heartstrings...great write...

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    2. I concur. A powerful and moving poem.

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  7. Hi, Susan. Hope my 'exposed' piece fits in 'light and dark' motif of the day/week. Happy Summer Solstice !

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    1. and Thanks for the inspiring poems, enjoyed so much 'We have not long to love' by T. Williams. Actually, know this writer for his theatrical plays only, put in my list to read his poems.

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    2. It was a bit of a stretch for me, but the spirit of yin/yang is definitely there in your rather amazing poem. Me too on T WIlliams. I was amazed to find his light and heavy poem. Thank You, Humbird.

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  8. thanks Susan for the lovely prompt...

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  9. Good old Mr Linky! and thank you for the summer prompt..a new pair of Birkenstocks came through the post today..my feet will be celebrating if not J and Alice ;)

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    Replies
    1. Let the feet celebrate and the rest will follow. I'm glad you are here Jae Rose.

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  10. So many good poems on this post, but Mary Oliver's really does speak to me most. What to do with my wild life?

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    1. I love how she poses that question from the marvels of a walk.

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  11. I have posted a poem written in response to what has been happening here. We have had some frightening weather, and this has been on my mind. I will be visiting other poets, but will not visit those who I commented on here last week and didn't manage to make a return visit. If they visit, of course, I will reciprocate....

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  12. My poem is finally up. Thank you for the prompt, Susan. I will do most of my visits and commenting tomorrow as the day is drawing to a close here. It is dark already.

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    1. It's time to make dinner here. Neat take on dark and light in art, Gabriella.

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  13. Sigh. Here I am, dragging my considerable butt again.......I have been thinking of this prompt all day and nothing has come yet. I enjoyed all of your offerings and will Keep Thinking.

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    1. I'm not worried. Wait until dark and let it inspire you.

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    2. Sherry, cut yourself some slack. You need to take a break. You do so much. Just know that we know that.

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    3. sherry, you know we love you no matter what time you walk in the door...or even if you don't...it will come when it will if it does....smiles.

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  14. I went a slightly different way with light and dark...but was glad to play along! :)

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  15. Thanks for the prompt...hope your day went well..

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  16. Thanks so much for this wonderful prompt, Sherry.
    Mine is up at: http://purplepeninportland.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/shining-beacon/

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    Replies
    1. Hi Purple. I was wondering if you would visit. Please please put your link in the linky--few take the trouble to cut and paste your link which doesn't come to Poets United live at all. I think this is the tenth time I have asked you.

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  17. Thanks for this prompt Susan..Enjoyed it a lot:)

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    1. You are welcome. Your poem is of the finest!

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  18. Hi everybody! thanks to you Susan for this prompt, however, I'm afraid my piece is not very convincing...but will hope that the music video I included will get your happiness going. Best!

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    1. I did indeed enjoy the music, and love the specificity of your poem.

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    2. thanks Susan. glad to read that. :) have a great weekend, see you Sunday!!!

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  19. Susan,

    I am always grateful to you, for the advance notification about the motif for the subsequent week. I had been composing, slowly, but finally finished my offering this afternoon. My thoughts rest with 'a friend in need.'

    Eileen

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    1. Welcome, Eileen. I had a feeling you did not dash off this amazing poem. Best of wishes to your friend.

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  20. I always love the poems you use in illustration of your themes. And I'm glad of the long "window of opportunity" to post to the Midweek Motifs. I combined this prompt with one from dVerse and enjoyed playing with the two in combination.

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    1. PS It is now very late at night, so I must defer reading others until tomorrow.

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  21. thank for this platform! my eager to visit other blogs too...!! :)

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    1. Hmmmmm, I do hope you do. I haven't seen that you have.

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  22. I won't be here again this week, poets. Consider posting in Poets United Poetry Pantry this Sunday (tomorrow), instead. This week is good reading. It'll be here to visit.

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  23. Linking in really late to this, so I'll link to the Pantry too. So glad it's summer here where I am!

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