Tar Baby

image per shutterstock.com

Tar Baby

Sadness came slowly like

the turning of leaves in Fall breezes

the colors

impregnable with the mind

only hearts

discern                   

red bursts     -       the 

yellow ripe lemons,

ethereal rusts,

pinion green cones

bleeding red oak and dogwood Easter blossoms

cut and split for fuel

we can know love

I went after it once 

down new avenues    -     lain

in hot macadam

I looked away 

I'm not sure what you did

as I watched

black asphalt poured over

old bones and memories

04/05/22

E.

Author's Note

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

“Sadness came slowly like
the turning of leaves in Fall breezes
the colors
impregnable with the mind
only hearts
discern “
Exquisite E., and so moving. Flow, words ‘al punto’, Imagery, colors, pathos, simile - all perfect. I could not help but follow this spiritual journey from alpha to inevitable omega. All of the colred bursts of love are what define and elevate us. Kudos my supremely sensitive friend…

[Einstein Noodle]

thank you for such a sensitive reading and encouraging review ... makes me look to keep writing ... big thank you ma'am!
as always,
E.

[Dave Brown]

a very enjoyable read and you have introduced me to a singer I'd not heard before
Thankyou for the read and the singer

[Einstein Noodle]

Dave! so happy always to have your visits .. Sade is incredible in my opinion .. i listen to her songs on repeat all the time .. she is French you know ;) glad you enjoyed reading .. i appreciate your time ... peace and joy my friend!
E.

[Coyote Poetry]

I am listening to the song and I am reading your words. A heart overtook by the black tar. Won't need anything no-more. Very nice dance of words my friend. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry. I did like this one.
Coyote

[Einstein Noodle]

thank you Coyote Man! Sade is one of my favorites .. glad you enjoyed .. yes! the heart can be covered over with many things can't it!? peace and love brother!
E.

[Coyote Poetry]

I did my friend. I have loved Sade for many moons. You are welcome my friend.

[duff]

Textures and colors popping line to line. Smells pulling the reader by its nose. Grinning ear to ear to reading this.

[Einstein Noodle]

i couldn't ask for more my friend! thanks so much for taking time ... great review much appreciated! thanks duff!
E.

[duff]

My pleasure E. Great writing.

[keith]

you do realize Tar Baby is a derogatory term for African Americans, perhaps not.
its origin is from the Uncle Remus Stories that was adapted by Walt Disney as Song of the South.
it has been banned word wide since turn of the century.
ya might want to consider renaming it just sayin

[Einstein Noodle]

if someone's head is there ... it is a problem they have .. not i sir! ... love, peace and flowers my friend ... i hope you read again and get past the title ... ;)
E.

[keith]

i have read this piece several times and each time i find another well said point
you do have a way with words in thought





























































i have read this piece several times and with each i find another pairing of word and thought that do nothing but assist in the broad-brush painting of words
but that does not excuse your use of tar baby as title
i would think you would beyond that but as you said there is no problem on your end
it doesn't take much to bring out the worst of us does it?
no peace no love no fukin flowers
have a good day

[Einstein Noodle]

so ... did you give a listen to Sade's song? i think rather than censorship .. applying new and invigorating meanings to words and phrases is the more concrete road ... i do not subscribe to the extent that PC ideology has gone .. banning books of childhood fantasy .. actually outlawing specific words and phrases .. this poem and the title go hand in hand and have less than zero to do with racism .. sorry you feel so angry .. hope that you will heal ... peace love and flowers are so so much more applicable .. with respect and hope that you are not saying goodbye :)
E.
ps. thank you for reading and for your kind review of the poem ..

[keith]

i am not a maga man so i will not be banning books or joining any cross burnings but i grow lots and lots of flowers
i'm not angry concerned yes angry no
amos and andy was taken off the air because of connotation negroes being lazy
i saw song of the south as a child and remember it well still know the melody and words to
zip-a-dee-do-dah and sing it somedays

i understand your point but some things are best unsaid even with newer definition no matter who uses it
certainly don't need to start using ni**er just because it can be a popular wordage
that's not censorship but respect

[Einstein Noodle]

sorry .. i am not much up on maga .. have heard it mentioned a time or two in the news; but haven't looked it up yet .. what does it stand for? glad you are not angry ... i appreciate your input .. i think the strength of the presentation is strong enough to qualm any sensitivities ... with present exception taken .. i grew up with all those programs and never equated it with any race. my home was a loving environment economically in the low middle working class .. do you know who Lenny Bruce was? and what his "statement" on stage was; and how he approached the subject?

[keith]

you do what ya want
i ain't no rube
i know all about the 1st amendment and lenny bruce and richard pryor, dick gregory, malcom x , george carlin steve martin
it's evident you have no idea what i stand and fight for
my profile, my poems are evidence

this does not need to go any further
have a good day mr einstein noodle

[Einstein Noodle]

but ... you haven't shared your thoughts and feelings on Sade's song, "Tar Baby" .. you are right .. i haven't read nearly enough of your poetry to know much about you ... i will try to do that. .. peace and love, keith!

[keith]

i like the intro, lounge jazz, but then it changes into another run of the mill background music, regular
yes there is reference to tar baby ... a child born of addiction to heroin ... tar, black tar
but thats not how i see your poem
i'm not really sure of the focal point of this piece

[Einstein Noodle]

oh! ... well .. i can't help you there can i? .. it wouldn't be fair :)))))))

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! This can bring tears to eyes. I felt sadness permeating through life's losses of relationships or persons. What a title sir Einstein!
Your lines reveal lots of unfortunate things that happen in our lives.
I hope to meet in paradise one day with all God's servants.
See you another day my friend.

[Einstein Noodle]

yes! i hope for the same sir! to rejoice in the greatness of God with all the saints ... ahhhhhhhhhh! that is the goal eh!? ... and having a part of life's suffering can prepare us for it says i! sure appreciate you ... be well and stay safe!
E.

[Sami Khalil]

Yes siiiirrrr. You are welcome my friend.

[sonnie ibadah]

"we can know love....
I went after it once...."
This is so sad yet so beautiful. Loving and losing is one of the most powerful and life altering experiences one can ever have. Beautifully expressed.

[Einstein Noodle]

i so agree with you sonnie! it has given birth to some of the most enduring creative writing of all times hasn't it!? it is the one experience we have that can strengthen character with patience, long suffering and learning that an attitude of acceptance without blaming nor anger will grant us deep comfort and peace .. thanks so very much for reading and commenting .. love and joy to you!
E.

[sonnie ibadah]

Well said!

[Red Brick Keshner]

A gem worth the return to the café, and the roads new or resurfaced bring the possibility of new and former destinations; and now that they are lain and still being laid we find ourselves following that macadam road, clicking heels together and setting off with other writing friends. Thanks for having shared. /Frederick.

[Einstein Noodle]

and thank you for your encouraging review! i feel pretty gratified it spoke to you and really like where you took it .. on new roads paved and "clicking heels" .. love that sir Frederick! see you 'round! right here at the Cafe'' and welcome back!
E.

[Lisasview]

Good morning,
Opening our hearts can be painful..in the end but also can bring great joy..
Yes, dare to be open...what the heck..
I have loved and lost but always stayed open.
Your poem although is filled with pain it also feels like a big question..Do I Dare!! Bad memories can can covered up by good ones...
Why not??
Lisa, now in Spain

[Einstein Noodle]

I agree Ms. Lisa! taking a chance and getting hurt, disappointed, devastated even; is something to be treasured in the end. We do learn so much from going through such deep hurt. Looking back on my own life ... I would and will do it all over again when love tugs me .... Leap! ;) ... thanks so much for sharing your impressions and a part of your life ... here at the Cafe'
E.

[Lisasview]

You are most welcome..

[Temperance]

"black asphalt poured over old bones and memories"......Mr. E. this is so powerful! Isn't lost love so much like that? Sometimes, in order to move on, we need to seal that loss. "Bleeding red oak..." was another line that was so visual to me. Those trees can be used as fuel to warm to body, soul and heart. Very moving Mr. E! Thank you, Temp

[Einstein Noodle]

thank you for your kind and sensitive reading of this poem .. i appreciate you very much! i feel pretty gratified it touched you. who could ask for more, right?! :)
E.

[Temperance]

I believe we all hope our work touches the reader in some way.

[Einstein Noodle]

:))))))))))))))))) yep!