good company

sparked by a conversation

This morning I looked up at those hills--
expectantly--
and felt your words.

There they were
coming to me over hill and holler.

Brilliant words,

bright as sunshine,

they seemed pleased with the prospect
that they might just Be--
without pretense.

I gathered up the words
and carried them home
and thought I heard a sigh.

shhhh

They're sitting in the front porch swing now--
resting--
I have a blackberry cake in the oven.
We'll slice it later
and sip some coffee
enjoying silver silence.

Don't expect your words to be home
anytime soon--

I'm hoping they?ll stay awhile.

Your words are always good company.

Author's Note

R.: You may have met these words before.
AO: From the Holly Hobby life collection.

Reviews

[R J Askew]

'I gathered them up and carried them home' are the best lines for me. I just like the notion, which seems delightful. I also like the idea of words, poems, being received -- if we are lucky -- rather than worked at in the reason. I always think a received poem will have the edge over a carefully crafted one. And of course the words will stay for a slice of your cake. They would be mad not to! I'll put a few more raisins in my porridge tmr and see if it pulls a few hungry verbs! Charming read.

[arbitrary jane]

'pleased with the prospect that they might just Be.'
the best kind of prospect, to my mind. So often we rush to analyze and process the many, many words we hear and read. But how much nicer it is to simply sit with them in the silver silence of good company.
Meister Eckhart said he 'slumbered like a word unspoken' ... which is nice, too, but he certainly missed out on the blackberry cake and that front porch swing. best seat in the house, i'll wager.

[Siddhartha]

words....i sometimes feel like indiana jones...on a quest for my treasure trove of words...beautiful thought and beautifully executed...

[C.]

A simple poem--minimalist in taste, which I like. Didn't really like "shhhh". The lack of capitalization stood out in a way I felt was distracting, and the idea itself seemed a little cliche. "bright as sunshine," was brilliant, though, mainly due to it's simplicity. I thought spacing it out so it stood by itself was an excellent decision. I also really enjoyed "without pretense". For some intuitive reason it hit home. What does "over hill and holler" mean, though? The phrase felt a bit to nursery rhyme-y to me. Including "blackberry cake" was wonderful--specific details always enhance the mental image.

[A.A.Romanczuk]

Those words of yours are spun with real gold threads
I carry them deep within me
In a living treasure chest
When you are absent they speak for you
They wait to be uttered anew
I'll utter them to myself
Over simple food in my little nest

[Wondering Mind]

Lately, I have come here often to enjoy the good company of your words.
I feel like we're old friends, from long ago. May be in some past life I was among them..A word with the good company of the rest.

[Sweet_pale_cacophony]

Your words are like the homely scent of cookies in the oven...they always seem so close to heart and yet so fine and skilled..difficult to match up to..

[Franklin...]

I love how you've described the way that words someone has said to you can stick with you and be enjoyed, even well after the words have been spoke. Lovely.

[Mischa Keats]

This was beautiful, and light, and sparkling. I like how you carried the mood of your poem all the way through with the imagery. "Silver silence", "blackberry cake", "bright as sunshine", those are all beautiful, and made me smile. Very light and sweet.

[Libby McKeown]

Every night I read tons of poems, and when I'm sick of reading hallmark cards and suicide letters, I come to your work for renewal and inspiration. This poem is nothing short of illuminating. The imagery is real and sincere in its softness and warmth, and it almost reminds me of something I can't say that I've experienced, which, some would argue, is the sign of true art. Thanks again for sharing!

[Tracie Skarbo]

oh I loved this... what a wonderful thought! To scoop up the words and have them rest on the front stoop...:)