Forever Cracked

‘I can see clearly now the rain has gone’ 

and thank goodness for that 

the rain created so much mud 

it ran into my every pore 

dirtying my being from 

inside out 

not sure what to do with this filth 

I sit in front of a billowing fire 

a naive mistake 

the fire becomes a kiln for the muddy clay 

which has enveloped the me and me of my senses

I have changed form - - -

baked into human pottery - argh !

stuck 

is a word 

I will not use lightly 

especially while contemplating 

my own dirge 

ahhhhh - - - 

thank the eternal gushes

a passing wind rushes 

tossing me to the ground 

I crack round the edges - -

I roll and roll and roll again

to the rivers edge 

plopping myself right in

floating - no

sinking - yes - sinking 

oh wait 

- sunk!

idle at the bottom of the riverbed

blinking at the fish 

the pottered clay softens

now oozing out every pore 

body movement returns 

alas I remain cracked in other ways 

most sudden I remember 

breath is not a gift 

in the underwater world - - 

I gasp 

I take water in

I laugh 

as bubbles tickle 

the interior

of my nostrils

floating to the surface 

I relish my now 

my very soft 

mud lavished skin 

even though I shall remain forever cracked

Author's Note

each year I participate in the Popo Fest (Postcard Poetry Festival) which entails sending and receiving a postcard poem daily. The poems are encouraged to be free verse and no editing - this is one such that was carried away with my day :) XX

Reviews

[emmajoy]

Love the feel of this, the way it forms pictures in and out of my mind. There are wee secrets here and there.. your emotions packed away but peeping out: '..not sure what to do with this filth - I sit in front of a billowing fire - a naive mistake - the fire becomes a kiln for the muddy clay - which has enveloped the me and me of my senses .. ' But then you turn your human form and become something inexplicable, moulded by environment maybe or just (just?!) an extraordinary imagination: ' .. alas I remain cracked in other ways - most sudden I remember - breath is not a gift - in the underwater world - I gasp - I take water in - I laugh as bubbles tickle - the interior - of my nostrils .. '

Don't know where that all come from but your festival work certainly hits THE spot when it comes to originality.

[KWP]

hello beautiful you ... yes yes this was an experiment in where the heck my mind would take me and well who knew it would be to to this place of the fire and ceramics of life :)

thank for readling oh lovely one your words they do inspire X

[emmajoy]

M' pleasure!

[Mitali Shah]

We penned as always dear. Keep writing :)

[wordman]

i can relate,been raining here for about 4 months weekly.no mud though or cracks
great write ,you expressed your feelings well

[Jamestown]

Really nice piece of work and expressed so well,
I agree with Jacob, we are all cracked:(
Thanks for sharing and b-blessed!

[Valentine]

This one brought back memories and also had me laughing. I loved working in clay when I was younger. Did people, animals etc. My " Boy on a Dolphin ", got me an A+++ in art class. Hum...makes me miss my kiln. Valentine

[R Smith]

yep you're cracked truly Miss Oz but if your gonna get baked in clay again I have a nice place for you on the hall stand lol, an amazing poem from an amazing woman and friend XXXXX

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"it's dark clouds that had me down"
i think all of us are cracked---that's life...but understanding that we are, and that despite that we can still go on...survive, and even relish the life we do have.

[Gee]

I can see all obstacles in my way...........
Ooh,Sun baked lady, lovely,and then dripping,drowning,floatin.....and now with skin as soft as a babies bottom.My oh my,where was your mind during this one,lol