Monday, May 28, 2018

POEMS OF THE WEEK: Speaking of Dragons, with Elizabeth, Annell and Myrna


We have a fun feature for you today, poet friends. Recently, Elizabeth Crawford, of Soul’s Music, Annell Livingston of SomeThings I Think About, and Myrna Rosa of Daily Spirit wrote poems about dragons. Elizabeth often writes wonderful conversations with her own personal dragons, so I was thrilled when Annell and Myrna wrote dragon poems as well. I can never resist a feature full of dragons! Let’s dive in, but carefully. We don’t want to get singed by hot dragon breath!






Marananthaheth
by Elizabeth Crawford



Marananthaheth?
“Yez, little one…”
Do Dragons dance?
“Ummm, why yezz we do.
When we fly.
We flip, we frolic,
how do you zzay?
We loopdaloop.
Iz that not danzing?”
Yes, I guess so…
But do you hear
music, when you do
that?
“Muzzic? Umm,
do you mean
like when you zzing
a szertain zong,
and move your body
to the rhythmz
of the wordsz?”
Yes, like that…
“Little one, the Univerze
is filled with muzic.
Every planet, each sztar,
zings a different
szong. And, we dragonz
hear them all.
Do you know
that the treez,
here on your world
zing, each one, a different
zong, and how do you szay?
Harmonizze?”
Really? How I wish
I had the ears
of a dragon.
She leans down with a smile
and says, “We all have been
given giftz and limitationz.
Each szervez a purpoze.
But, know with
a szertainty, that you
have the ear
of thizz dragon.”
Elizabeth Crawford  4/18/2018

Marananthaheth
by Elizabeth Crawford

Elizabeth: On the spur of the moment, I agreed to do one word prompts for the month of April, poem a day challenge. Got about two weeks into it, and started feeling that draggy, tired, why am I doing this to myself feeling. So, I put up the word "dragon", for the next day's prompt. As soon as I did that, I heard the first stanza of this conversation and started laughing.

Then realized that, for the most part, the dragons, especially Heth, have stepped into that challenge to revive my willingness to continue, every time I've attempted it.

The rest of the poem fell into place quite quickly and was very satisfying when it was finished. I was back to knowing I was in the right place, doing the right thing for me.

Sherry: I always enjoy the deep truth that your dragons speak to you, Elizabeth. You are lucky to have your own personal dragons.

I loved it when Annell wrote the following poem. Let's take a peek:




Annell, in front of one of her art pieces
at an art show in Santa Fe




Of course the word is dragon
Your "familiar"
He goes where you go
He waits for you to catch up
He has lived long
The subject of many tales
He once belonged to a man from China
That is where he learned to read Chinese
And speak the words in his own way
He learned to fly ages ago
He lived in a castle
Loved by a queen
Played with children on the grass
Few people pay attention to him anymore
He flies around the neighborhood
Eats small dogs for lunch
He is what is called a gentle dragon
He will never eat you
I wonder, do you fly with him
Do you take him to school
He is as old as can be
Seen many things
But loves only you

Annell Livingston April 18, 2018



Annell: I think in the back of my mind, I was thinking of Alice Walker’s book, The Temple of My Familiar.   A book I read many years ago.   In this book, each character is searching for his/her true identity, and their past serves as both an obstacle and the key to knowing their real place in history, society, and the world.  This book is full of many beautiful ideas and meanings about life, feminism, love and spirituality.   I cannot say how, but the ideas of this book began to weave with my ideas about dragons.

I saw the dragon as a metaphor or symbol that related to our history.   Each life spun out of the ancestors, many tales to be told.   Historically the dragon is a symbol of power, strength, and good luck.   He/she has control over water, rainfall, typhoons and floods.

In this poem, I was writing to Elizabeth’s prompt, for Ladies in Waiting.  I know that Elizabeth is especially fond of the dragon as her spirit animal.  I wanted to make him very personal.  He has lived many years, and at one time belonged to a man in China. 

I think I just dove in and he came alive, he told me about his life, and how people don’t pay much attention to him anymore.  

And then as if I were talking to Elizabeth as a child, and I ask does she fly with him, and does she take him to school?  And I acknowledge , her personal dragon loves only her.

Sherry: A truly delightful tale, and poem. I love it! Let's wrap up with Myrna's dragons, who are feeling a bit sad today.







Myrna's dragons,
created by Martha Roditti




A long, long, long time ago
There lived a happy dragon family 
It relied on the power of magic 
That prevailed all around them
Vibrant greens, blues, yellows, reds
All the colors in the spectrum of light
Lived in everything 
Including their hearts
Which beat to the rhythm of rainbows

One day the magic changed
The dragon family was petrified
When colors of a darkened future were revealed
The dragons saw through space and time
Trees, plants, animals, flowers
Slumped until they died
Humans who refused to leave died too
The ones who left never found another paradise
All waters turned brown,
Grey the ground
Earth slowly wilted

The happy dragons were transformed
Into dragons that could only weep
Knowing the world would end
in dark permanent sleep
Their scales like raindrops fell
Because magic had no power over hell
Because when you know your Mother will die
All a dragon can do is cry

Myrna Rosa, April 22, 2018


 I made no attempt to infuse hope in my poem today, though I am hopeful for this earth.  But I just wanted to acknowledge the sadness I feel for earth as it endures...us.




Myrna: My poem about the dragons was inspired by sculptured ceramic dragons created by my friend, Martha Roditti.  She is a creative, talented artist who typically makes whimsical pieces.  However, with these dragons, she diverted from her usual fun style and, in my opinion, produced a touching, evocative set of very sad dragons.

When I first saw these, I immediately felt the grief of these poor creatures who are helpless to save the world they love.  The art that most impresses us is art that reflects and expresses something that is already within us.  That is definitely the case for me and it led me to try to express in writing the sorrow in me, which they project.

Usually, when I write about the state of our world, I try to at least end a poem with some glimmer of hope.  Not this time.  I allowed myself to wallow in despair at the risk of fueling my fears too much.  It was a way for me to confront the depth of my dread realistically. Hopefully, I let it out, now I can let it go and work to nurture my optimism.

Sherry: I know exactly how you feel, Myrna. Those of us who are aware carry such grief for the state of the world, caused by humans. All living beings suffer because of one specie's mistakes. This poem rings very true for me. I try to hold onto hope, but there is a lot of pain as well, as the flood waters rise, the Arctic melts, and the forests burn or are logged to extinction. And the animals flee in terror. Sigh.


Thank you, Elizabeth, Annell and Myrna, for sharing your dragon poems with us today. They each have something important to tell us, and we love them very much. Do come back, my friends, to see who we talk to next. Who knows? It might be you!


18 comments:

  1. Being a dragon fan, I enjoyed these dragon poems and it was lovely to see the photographs of Elizabeth, Annell and Myrna. I'd like to see some more of Annell's artwork.

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    Replies
    1. Well, now, you have given me a good idea for a feature, about Annell's art! Thank you! I am always in search of Ideas! I just arrived home after a few days away, so will catch up as I unpack and settle back in. I LOVE dragon features, one of my favourites! Many thanks to Elizabeth, Myrna and Annell!

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  2. Thank you for including my little poem about a dragon that belongs only to you. Perhaps you keep him as a secret, a part of your own secret story. I am honored to be included with these two wonderful poets. Thank you again Sherry, Happy Dragon Day to you!

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    1. I have my own inner wolf, he keeps the dragons ay bay. LOL! It was a pleasure to put this feature together! Thank YOU!

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  3. I so much enjoyed reading the other two dragon poems, by two of my favorite poets here at PU. I am honored to be part of this post.
    I've never written a dragon poem before, but now I'm inspired to write more. I must make the quest to discover my very own inner dragon.
    Thanks for including me here Sherry.

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    1. Elizabeth has a way to discover her.......she likely has written about it. As I recall, you travel to a beautiful safe place, get very quiet, listen, and wait for her to appear. Perhaps you begin with a question you would like her to answer? Am I right, Eliabeth?

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  4. Three wonderful poems. I really never would have thought to write a poem about dragons, but I am really glad that these three women did. Such talent! Thank you, Sherry, for continuing to inspire us with this feature!

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  5. I am also a dragon fan, and suffered through years of 10th grade literature classes where the text talks about slaying your dragons--using Sigurd as the example. Thnk you for MY kind of dragon with empathy and rainbow hearts and magic and foreknowledge. It's a note of finality when these dragons cry, but one that is not a surprise given what has been going on. Thank you for the whimsey as well, so I don't go off blubbering ito the night.

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  6. Yes, when dragons cry, it does not bode well. We try to hold onto hope. Once The Regime is over - and may it be soon - perhaps we will start to feel better.

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  7. Such wonderful poems! While the delightful dragons gave us some fun moments the crying dragon compelled us to think over what we've made out of this once beautiful planet. Sigh. Thank you all.

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  8. Sherry this was delightful. Dragons have been with me since I was very young, and I have long known dragons were one of my spirit animals as it was revealed by a wonderful shaman. I have not written about them but almost feel compelled to do so after reading these amazing pieces. Thank you Elizabeth, Annell and Myrna for such inspiring and beautiful poems.

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  9. Elizabeth is having trouble signing in to blogger which seems to have changed some of its features. I hate when that happens! But she wants everyone to know she loves the feature and is thankful for your lovely comments. I am, too.

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  10. Oh this was wonderful! I love Annell's artwork. I think a feature with her artwork and poems would be wonderful!!!! I live the Japanese dragons and have written a few about them. Such ancient wise creatures. Thank you again Sherry.

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  11. I read this post yesterday - and very much enjoyed it. My daughter called just as I was about to comment and I've just realized that I never did finish. Love the poems and the backstories. A whimsical and thoughtful - piece. And the artwork is wonderful.

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  12. How I miss the dragons that filled my mind as a child and I am so grateful to Elizabeth, Annell and Myrna bringing them back to life for me. What a delight to read each of the poems recalling those days of wonder. Thank you Sherry too for assembling such a fun article.

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  13. We humans do have a great fascination with dragons, don't we? Lovely to read all these.

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  14. Yes, dragons take me back to the days when I believed all the fairytales, when dragons and monsters were kind. I think this is why I love Maranantheheth so much. She reminds me of a kindly grandmother, with round spectacles, and a sweet smile!

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