Daughter Of Rain

This water is like time slipping through my fingers.
Things that once were - no more - shall never be again.
Life lives in silence and sound, smiles and tears, lingers
in petals that find themselves drifting in the rain.
It lives in blossoms of the secret and arcane.

This time is like wind over black shadows of stone,
wasted in pursuit of dreams that can never be,
remembering faces, places, wingtips, and bone,
soaring for a moment but never truly free.
It is starlight and moonlight, tinged twilight in me.

This wind is a tocsin of unfettered degrees,
a songbird’s farewell over a snow-covered grave
or the moon’s silvered hair in a spindle of trees
tumbling softly silent as tears in a wave.
It whispers like words for the embattled and brave.

This water is life, and I’m a daughter of rain.
Secrets unspoken are in the riverbed’s depth.
Each glimmer of happiness, each steel blade of pain
is a plaintive echo in the white skull of death.
I absorb all things into my body and breath.

The morning rises in her shawl of heron blue,
floating memoirs across the river in white mist.
With branches in her hair and roots within her shoe,
she is a gypsy muse with flowers on her wrist,
skirting softly as lovers’ whispers in a tryst.

I am fortified on the edge of evergreen.
The earth, water, and sky are mingled in my vein.
Time will tell the story of a great river queen
who dived beneath the sparkle of sweetest refrain
and rose on wings of clouds with a daughter of rain.

Author's Note

Reviews

[Dave Brown]

I haven't read many of your pieces and I have to say this is beautiful
I relate strongly to water and time, two important elements in my life.
And another absolutely beautiful image
Wonderful

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you for visiting, Dave. I'm glad that you can relate to the poem and hope that you'll visit again. Be well.

[Chris Shaw]

Excellent composition, rich in imagery with so many truly poetic lines. You write beautifully Linda Marie. All good wishes.

Chris

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Chris. You are so sweet.

[Chris Shaw]

Both sweet and sour in equal doses :))

[Beccy]

Beautifully woven from first line to last; and the imagery; 'time is like wind over black shadows of stone,' 'The morning rises in her shawl of heron blue,'to name but two wonderfully composed lines, is just exquisitely focused in the minds eye.

So very much enjoyed this; and the accompanying image is so calming.

Beccy.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you for visiting, Beccy. It's always nice to see you.

[barleygirl]

This is slap-me-across-the-face good! Wow! Your rhyme pattern is so sophisticated, yet it only comes into play when you pay attention to it. Otherwise, your poem reads as smoothly as prose, flowing like the water you describe, & one doesn't really pay attention to all your impressive wordplay. This is exactly how I feel when I look back over life. It's a hodge-podge of imagery & feelings that I'd rather remember in the mind's tumbling imperfect way, than to have authentic photos or film clips to see the actual thing. There's no way to capture it all with just the visual . . . here you convey the feeling of being engaged in life & nature (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Margie. Your words flatter me indeed. I appreciate the visit.

[Jibey]

I loved the flow of words n this writing and the skillful use of form, rhyme and rhythm - unobtrusive yet helping the flow (plus the background music!). The description of the moon was delightful; 'wingtips and bone ' was a striking phrase. as were 'steel blade of pain' and 'shawl of heron blue' and 'the edge of evergreen'.

I loved reading it and feeling its sensual awareness.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you.

[Benita-Staebell M - Kin..]

As she travels to different lands
And creates new journeys with
the free spirits she meets on her
Journeys.


she is a gypsy muse with
flowers on her wrist,

Free spirits Gypsies
live in my family very
Vibrant wild gentle
spirits.

I loved this quite
Free flowing beautiful
Melancholic and peaceful.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you.

[Benita-Staebell M - KindredPoet]

You're very welcome 😊

[Richard🖌]

Linda Marie,
You've laid down an absolutely soul-gripping piece!
I've long held that for every thought, feeling, emotion, topic, etc; whatever there is, there is a poetic form that best befits to compose and express them in, each and all.
Still, a poetic form is but a mere blueprint of an edifice to creative ideas, imaginings, and passions - perhaps(?) of a potential poem to be … until a writer happens along to breathe life into it, as you have so brilliantly done with this breathtaking, metaphorically original, brilliantly creative version of the English Quintain.
Leonardo da Vinci put it best, “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
With this poem, Linda Marie, as-well, by virtue of your many resplendent pieces, you've exemplified it all.
You know me, I could pontificate on your poetry 'til throttled … LOL! Yet, in reviewing, I aspire to gift an artist and their poems' equally just deserves.
Let me close by briefly sharing my thoughts about this particular work: Enchanting, mesmerizing, wonderfully, visually enticing, originally composed and presented, with a literate acumen most poetesses and poets would drool to possess the capability of producing.
With spot-on photo, color, and music choices, combined with amazing syntax, meter, rhyme, and a flow like warm, soothing water), I say, "Well down, Poetess!" Indeed, the "Daughter Of Rain".

With most grateful and sincere thanks! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Richard. I'm not so sure that I'm as deserving as you say. This is one that I started days ago, stepped away from, wrote a few new poems, and then revisited. I hate it when that happens because then the mindset with which I started writing the poem has changed and so I don't feel like I totally got back to the original emotions that I started with. While I felt it was complete, it lacked something for me. I do appreciate your thoughts and your time in reviewing.

[Richard🖌]

To my perception, Linda Marie, any interruption is seamless in every way, as is any lacking evident solely in your mind's eye.
The all of this piece (in mine) breathes, dances, and speaks with equal splendor throughout … I express only that which is felt.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and we are 70 percent water in our bodies....the human element...the storm that has its life on earth....
as the rain must look down and smile at her daughter.
beautiful, lyrical poem.
j.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Jacob.

[Chris]

A new verse to "The Lady Of The Lake" - it will it within the legends.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Chris.