Matins

What is that sound, when water meets water.
Sometimes, far off, like fine down drifting,
then close by, giving everything up, in dull metallic bursts.
A man, and a girl like you, once met in the half-wind -
half-water, as it ushered night upon the wood.
When the trees exhaled, they saw how to be nude:
how to retrace the moon from uncertain beginnings.
Tonight, it groans sideways onto iron roofs,
that seem to bend double, even as they hold their own shape.
Somewhere, far off, the wind speaks the name,
that whistles bird-like, over deep water.
The unfathomable that rest, undisturbed,
murmur fluent lyrics to instinctive melodies,
which become lost, in the hour of the light.

Reviews

[Eilis]

I was just reading a collection by Louise Glück last evening that had many poems by the name Matins within. There’s a great mystery to the word—the sacred weight of human un-understanding. At least this is how I think of it at times. Beginnings are beginnings are beginnings, but woven within is the knowledge that every second can be the beginning of the most memorable moment we’ve ever known.

Your poem makes me think of creation itself. How we have slowly slid into the familiarity of being ourselves—but still we do not fully understand the meaning of that. I always enjoy the care you take with your choices of language and images. There’s something of the dream quality in your poetry. I really enjoy the experience of reading.

[Beano]

Hello Eilis. Apologies for the delay in responding and thank you as ever for your kind and insightful comments.

[Roland Petrov]

Stunning! My only critique is your use of unnecessary commas.

[Beano]

Thank you as ever Roland!

[Delmar Cooper]

"With lauds the first of the canonical hours. " Here words made flesh and time shredded into bites of bread. Lovely work.

[Beano]

Thank you Delmar, sorry for the delay in responding.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

the hour of light is almost like Paradise Lost...
the tree, naked, the wisdom sought....the disobeying of the mandate...
water meets water...so many different sounds to that....a gushing, a roar, a gentle tapping....a comfortable bubbling sound...
instinctively good piece, Jamie,
j.

[Beano]

Thank you as ever, for your thoughtful, and kind words, Jacob!