beautiful places

rengo -- ah, the places i've been -- it is all poetry

standing on the cold

damp stones paving the terrace

of a remote and

aged monastery high on

a mountain in the middle

of the island of

Luzon, I could see between

the columns of fog

all the way to the China

Sea.  I have seen red and blue

spinnakers furled out

over the indigo sea

and dolphins arcing

sleekly beside the ship’s wake.

I have watched from a Spanish

land grant ranch above

Carmel as the grey, silken

massive bank of fog

rolled into Monterey Bay.

I have seen thunderstorms cling

to a red rock spire

in Monument Valley, bolts

of lightning stabbing

at the tower. I have seen

wild horses running with dust

devils in the sage

covered Nevada desert.

I have seen a flock

of Canadian geese sweep

down in a long graceful arc

to land silently

on estuary waters.

these beautiful things

have I seen on this lovely

Earth, and they do sustain me.

 

Reviews

[Liban Jibril]

Like one of the previous reviewers mentioned- excellent on many levels! The imagery at play used to naturally describe our beautiful planet, the visual descriptions of motion are genuinely heart-wrenching- lightning stabbing, geese sweeping down, dolphins arching, thunderstorms clinging, it's all beautiful. The use of colors make me feel like I'm watching an artist paint a painting, rather than a poem being formed in front of me. The use of free-form as structure is an excellent choice as well, hinting at how varied, chaotic and perhaps mysterious all these beautiful things are. Mysterious in how they rejuvenate us, and how they strike us universally as beautiful. And of course, the final line about drawing sustenance, or perhaps metaphorically a sense of mental or spiritual health? from these beautiful things is an appropriate and masterful addition. I can't honestly criticize anything here, it all works in sync. Excellent.

[annie lee]

Thank you so much for this detailed review. It is quite meaningful to me. You know, my father was a career Navy NCO, and we traveled extensively. I was blessed to have a sponge-like mind at an early age, so I have soaked up countless breathtaking scene and momentous experiences. I have enormous gratitude for those opportunities -- they helped to sculpt my personality and perception. A gift of the highest order. Thanks again.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow. I can't even quote some lines for they are all soooo good in language and imagery. A very talented writer you are...:)

[annie lee]

Thank you, Sami. That means a lot coming from you.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)

[Rita L. Sev]

These beautiful things
have I seen on this lovely
Earth, and they do sustain me.

And in your poem, you invite us to see as well... This is a beautiful and descriptive piece. Just reading these lines served to sustain me as well...

[annie lee]

Thank you so much, Rita. My childhood and adolescent as a Navy brat exposed me to so many experiences and panoramas that I never tire of relating them.

[Karen]

This is a lovely poem on many levels! I love the grace by which you describe each location, with such beauty and descriptive language that it leaves readers yearning to visit those places as well... and for a select few, reminiscing about those days when they had visited such attractions. Beautiful poem!

[annie lee]

Thank you, Karen. What I didn't know growing up as a Navy brat was that my mom and dad made enormous sacrifices to make the lives of their three children as rich as possible. My dad was an NCO, and a family with three kids was a feat to support on that pay level. But they managed, and as a result, I have this rich tapestry of memory -- too precious to keep to myself.

[Brett]

Wow you are an extremely good writer. This poem is very well written. It's cool how you described each of the beautiful sights you have seen. If you would like to read my first poem on here and give some constructive criticism it would be greatly appreciated!

[annie lee]

Thank you, Brett. Life as a Navy brat took me a lot of places, and thank goodness my perception level could retain the wonder of all that.