The Notebook

...a prose poem, thanks KL for suggestion

The Notebook

A small leaf fell from the notebook. It was Autumn colored transparency, gentle to the touch, not dried and brittle, but still seemed alive with vibrancy. Its shape was unusual to me and I discovered the tree it came from died out thousands of years ago.

The notebook, old leather bound, seemed just as old. A bit larger than my hand, you could feel wear of millennia in the symbols etched and raised on the back and spine. On the cover, a leafless, ancient and gnarly tree. It’s trunk at least 10 men, arms stretched around, with fat, ugly limbs touching the sky. It felt alive, breathing as my fingers brushed across the tree and symbols below it. An exciting warmth flowed in my mind and without really thinking, I picked up my pen and wrote my name atop the first page.

It made me smile, cause as I wrote “REDZONE”, the letters turned into ancient, ornate symbols and the space around me shifted, almost a dimensional phase in astral synchronicity but a dream walk reality. The paper, handmade papyrus, drank in the ink coloring it with the passion of Time, licorice and figments of imagination.

Under my name, more symbols appeared smelling of musk, jasmine and blue nile; the words: “POET, WRITER, SINGER OF IMAGES AND PAINTER OF WORDS.” In smaller word symbols: “Keeper of our Stories and Origins”.

As I began to understand the notebook’s meaning, a single leaf materialized on the ancient tree. And a second small leaf of Autumn’s design formed as I wrote:

Small leaves unfolding

In Autumn’s hue, written in

Sun rise morning dew.

^^^

Leaves painted by words

Will cover this ancient tree

With life origins.

 

Aztec Warrior/redzone 9.26.16

Author's Note

... thanks for reading...
Note: I spent the last week with family and my grandson Nicky, who has stopped writing (temporarily I hope) gave me a hand made leather with hand made paper, notebook with instructions to fill it with poems and then give it back to him.... thanks Nicky, this is the first entry.. must also give props to KS for some of the inspiration I found in a recent poem she posted... anyway hope you enjoy..

Reviews

[Lyn Anderson]

The style of this, its conversational tone, the font, all of it, works beautifully. Painting with words. Now, one pesky detail. It's trunk should be Its trunk.:) You see? I was paying attention.

[redzone]

and KL I love leaving you pesky details to let me know about... it's fun seeing if you pay attention.. so now that I'm busted I better go and fix... lol... thank you KL

[Ruth]

Not only is this a beautiful piece of prose but is also a wonderful, wonderful gift :) This touched me on many levels hon...may the book be filled with your magnificent words that weave a mystery and beauty all of their own xo

[redzone]

thank you so much Poppy ;0)... here is a wonderful mystery... last night I dreamt I was sitting high up in this tree and below, saw you leaning against its trunk, a writing pad and pen in your hand... as you began to write on the pad, the world seemed to quiver and another leaf formed on a different limb... must have been a haiku you wrote cause when I awoke I heard haunting Asian strings playing... a mystery, magical mystery dear Poppy, thank you... ;0)

[Ruth]

Wow, now that is special :) See, your prose lingered in my mind enough for me to astrally visit ;)

[redzone]

exactly Poppy... ;0)

[Pryde Foltz]

Fantastic and brilliant work, Curt. A story just beginning, I think:)

[redzone]

yep just beginning many pages left to fill... thanks Pryde so nice to see your smile here on this poem..

[barleygirl]

This is brilliant on so many levels! First & foremost, I love the hands-on feel of writing on various interesting papers, so your description of the journal is so precise & palpable, I love it. Secondly, I love the analogy of each poem being a leaf on the tree, so well described, I can see it. Most of all, I applaud you for sharing this & explaining the special relationship you have with your grandson Nicky, which is so evident here. I am happy you have this awesome family connection (((HUGS)))

[redzone]

you should feel this notebook Margie, I think it would inspire you to write something... there is just a magical feel to the raised tree and symbols... also neat how the paper itself has a secial feel to them and in some of the paper there are leaves and shapes that can just barely be felt but add to the magic... I think your mojo would absolutely never be tired again, nope you would be a writing machine (soft and cuddly)... lol

thanks Margie you "leafed" a nice and warm comment... muchly appreciated... ;0)

[barleygirl]

I know I would love such a notebook (totally into textures), but I would feel my scribbles too inferior to mess up the beautiful pages! I love that you have the courage to really OWN it! *smile* Put that first leaf on the tree & continue on! (((HUGS)))

[redzone]

hmmm... I have a feeling though that if you did have such a notebook, it would compel you to not only feel its texture but to have your pen write words as well.... it would cast a spell on your mojo Mrgie... ;0)

[Papaya]

This feels so cool. It's where legends are immortalized or even created!
Love it!

[redzone]

well Papaya, I am immortal you know... er... see I get too happy when you like something I have written and get all befuddled... er... wait I am always befuddled... sigh...

anyway and much more importantly, thank you so much for your kind words... it really does mean a lot to me that you have enjoyed this poem.... I have that small autumn leaf pasted to one of the tree branches on the front of the notebook... ;0) I am imagining that up in Canuck land the trees are already very colorful... here still pretty green...

[Papaya]

Yes, our leaves are turning now and it's quite beautiful.

[redzone]

so are you gonna take me to see them??? lol... you are really lucky to live there actually... here in NYC (even with some parks) you do not get the real wonderfulness of Autumn and how rich and colorful it truly is... I miss this... for over 30 years I lived in Pennsylvania and so was surrounf=ded by trees and forests etc... there was a place in the Blue Mts (part of the Appalachian Mts) where you could go to see Autumn in all its glory from atop one of it's peaks... all around you was color, rich and vibrant... in many ways autumn is just as colorful as spring..

any plans for getting back for a last camping out???

[Papaya]

It really is quite stunning. You are welcome to visit anytime of course!
No more camping trips planned for the moment. The kids are back to school now and weekends are quite busy with hockey, gymnastics, swimming etc etc

[redzone]

I know, Canada beckons... visit me visit me, I am colorful in Autumn... but alas it will have to be next Autumn when I can walk around and enjoy it up close and personal... that's right you play hockey, checking people into the boards and apologizing.. er.. I mean the kids are back in school... lol.. but not in winter please unless you can guarantee warmth and hot chocolate.. with marshmellows... ;0)

[Kelly Scheppers]

I was totally absorbed, consumed within the warm of your words. Some poetry really does transport you to another time and place, at least I believe so.

And that song, it's familiar to me, but I've never heard Eric Clapton do it. It tied in beautifully with the presentation of the poem - it's wonderful, Curt!

[redzone]

okay now that I have you absorbed and transported Kelly.. er... ;0)

really though, thank you for your greatly appreciated comment and visit... I debated using that song... the music itself is nice, but the words are a bit more sad than the poem so it was somewhat a toss up... I am glad you liked it and thought it was a good match... thanks again..

[jacob erin-cilberto]

the keeper of stories...yes, poets are that...

we hold the memories with the pen---and it is a firm grip.

nicely done---mix of prose and verse...

and i relate in a way...i write words, don't know where they come from, and they become poems.

j.

[redzone]

yes Jacob we are "keepers" and story tellers" it is a responsibility to hold that pen... and a challenge as well... thank you so much for your wonderful comment, your visit and I must also add for the "keeper of Stories" you tell Jacob...

[1VJ]

Such perfect descriptions of the hows and why you (we) write. It's absolutely stunning.

"The paper, handmade papyrus, drank in the ink coloring it with the passion of Time, licorice and figments of imagination."

My favorite line, but I loved it all!

[redzone]

thanks Paloma, your visit and wonderful comment is greatly appreciated... I liked that line too, thanks for noticing it...

[1VJ]

Was my pleasure, I really enjoyed this, and I see you made front page news right afterwards.