Rabu, 18 Jun 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. "
― Ralph Waldo Emerson


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 ulasan:

  1. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 6:07 PG

    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!

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Brian Miller18 Jun 2014 pada 6:52 PG

      i hope for you it is. smiles

      Padam
    2. Mary18 Jun 2014 pada 7:01 PG

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

      Padam
    3. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 10:09 PG

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

      Padam
  2. Unknown18 Jun 2014 pada 6:57 PG

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

    BalasPadam
  3. Unknown18 Jun 2014 pada 7:02 PG

    Thank you Susan for another inspiring prompt!!

    BalasPadam
  4. avalon18 Jun 2014 pada 7:13 PG

    "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.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 10:07 PG

      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.

      Padam
  5. Brian Miller18 Jun 2014 pada 8:45 PG

    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....

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 10:03 PG

      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.

      Padam
    2. Sherry Blue Sky18 Jun 2014 pada 8:31 PTG

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

      Padam
  6. Marcoantonio Arellano (Nene)18 Jun 2014 pada 11:03 PG

    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

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Brian Miller18 Jun 2014 pada 11:16 PG

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

      Padam
    2. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 11:26 PG

      I concur. A powerful and moving poem.

      Padam
  7. humbird18 Jun 2014 pada 11:28 PG

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

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. humbird18 Jun 2014 pada 11:35 PG

      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.

      Padam
    2. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 12:23 PTG

      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.

      Padam
  8. Sumana Roy18 Jun 2014 pada 11:49 PG

    thanks Susan for the lovely prompt...

    BalasPadam
  9. Jae Rose18 Jun 2014 pada 1:26 PTG

    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 ;)

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 3:39 PTG

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

      Padam
  10. aelfbee18 Jun 2014 pada 1:54 PTG

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

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 3:42 PTG

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

      Padam
  11. Mary18 Jun 2014 pada 4:34 PTG

    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....

    BalasPadam
  12. Gabriella18 Jun 2014 pada 5:28 PTG

    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.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 6:19 PTG

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

      Padam
  13. Sherry Blue Sky18 Jun 2014 pada 6:16 PTG

    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.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan18 Jun 2014 pada 6:19 PTG

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

      Padam
    2. Mary18 Jun 2014 pada 6:23 PTG

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

      Padam
    3. Brian Miller19 Jun 2014 pada 11:01 PG

      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.

      Padam
  14. Tanpa Nama18 Jun 2014 pada 8:36 PTG

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

    BalasPadam
  15. Truedessa18 Jun 2014 pada 10:31 PTG

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

    BalasPadam
  16. Tanpa Nama18 Jun 2014 pada 11:35 PTG

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

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan19 Jun 2014 pada 8:32 PG

      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.

      Padam
  17. Arathi Harihar19 Jun 2014 pada 6:11 PG

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

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan19 Jun 2014 pada 8:37 PG

      You are welcome. Your poem is of the finest!

      Padam
  18. J.N.T.19 Jun 2014 pada 1:34 PTG

    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!

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan19 Jun 2014 pada 3:41 PTG

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

      Padam
    2. J.N.T.20 Jun 2014 pada 9:58 PG

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

      Padam
  19. Eileen T O'Neill .....19 Jun 2014 pada 1:47 PTG

    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

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Susan19 Jun 2014 pada 3:43 PTG

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

      Padam
  20. Rosemary Nissen-Wade20 Jun 2014 pada 11:34 PG

    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.

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Rosemary Nissen-Wade20 Jun 2014 pada 11:38 PG

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

      Padam
  21. Tanpa Nama20 Jun 2014 pada 1:28 PTG

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

    BalasPadam
    Balasan
    1. Mary21 Jun 2014 pada 4:58 PTG

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

      Padam
  22. Susan21 Jun 2014 pada 3:28 PTG

    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.

    BalasPadam
  23. Jennifer Wagner22 Jun 2014 pada 9:56 PTG

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

    BalasPadam

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