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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Halcyon Days


© Daniel Mackie - Kingfishers and Swirling Water * Oct. 2011
                                      Paradise songs heard again,
                                      restored on halcyon days. Alcyone and Ceyx--
                                      such hubris! Worshiping themselves
                                      instead of praising Hera and Zeus.
                                      Besotted on the cliffs, on the green clifftops,
                                      on crags wound with vines, vines that wind
                                      around a cottage and its garden, their garden,
                                      where worlds, sea worlds, tide worlds
                                      pulled, pooled with song, bird song.

                                      Fish blew bubbled notes echoing
                                      above the crash, above the rock-stopped
                                      splash, silting staffs, the sun-gilt laughs of
                                      love so deep, so softly sleeping. After
                                      that, Zeus screamed and Hera cursed their
                                      love’s embrace; she damned their danced delight.
                                      Drowned, broken on the edges of their precipitous
                                      idyll. Then lesser gods rained piteous
                                      pleas that changed them -- rainbow hued,
                                      counterfeit king and queen to wingéd catchers,
                                      seaside dwellers, kingfishers--forever charmed.

                                       © Gay Reiser Cannon * 2012 * All Rights Reserved

                                      An exercise in Sprung Rhythm invented by G.M. Hopkins, S.J.
                                      Posted for #FormForAll @dVersePoets Pub''


For calling each other Hera and Zeus, Alcyone and Ceyx enraged the gods themselves. Ceyx was tricked by Zeus into taking a ship voyage away from Alcyone and Hera later told her he had died. Alcyone threw herself into the sea and drowned.When Ceyx returned to find her dead, he followed her. The lesser gods felt such pity for the loving couple that they restored them to life as kingfishers. For a fortnight on either side of the winter solstice, the couple are given days of no wind or high weather to prepare for their new chicks. These are called Halcyon Days - days of peace.

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22 comments:

  1. Brian MillerMay 17, 2012 at 11:35 AM

    delicious...love the mythic touches and your explanation below which shed all the more light on it...really nice rhythm through out the piece as well...my fav part...

    Fish blew bubbled notes echoing
    above the crash, above the rock-stopped
    splash, silting staffs, the sun-gilt laughs of
    love so deep, so softly sleeping

    such fun and wonderful imagery in that...

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  2. ManicddailyMay 17, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    Agree with Brian, and just beautiful sound here--the compression is terrific and lovely. k.

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  3. BeachannyMay 17, 2012 at 12:56 PM

    Thanks Brian and Karen. I think it belongs to a set I'm doing. So inspired these days by Daniel Mackie's art. He's so terrific. This one was inspired by William Morris arts&crafts, and Japanese woodblocks. It's a tile. I was so taken with it, I wanted to write to the illustration which seems to happen every time I see his work. His website is here: http://www.danielmackie.com/

    I appreciate your kind words. The form seems to fit the subject here, I thought.

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  4. ClaudiaMay 17, 2012 at 3:16 PM

    very cool...love how the rhythm carries me through the poem and love the greek myth as well...think i need to re-read some of them..we used to read them in school but i've forgotten many of them...fantastic challenge today gay...but a challenge it is..and much fun..so thank you..

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  5. TashtooMay 17, 2012 at 3:42 PM

    Beautiful piece Gay...and what a challenge! I'm here seeking inspiration as so far my attempts have failed :( Still trying though, and my pen is recharged with this fantastic offering!

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  6. Laurie KolpMay 17, 2012 at 4:33 PM

    Really enjoyed this Gay. I like how the beat speeds up and slows down. Thanks for the challenging prompt!

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  7. AnonymousMay 17, 2012 at 4:37 PM

    Gorgeous, the mythology references suit the rhythm you've used to set pace Gay, really must catch up with everyones blogging I'm so behind :,(

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  8. AnonymousMay 17, 2012 at 4:42 PM

    Wow, creative. your imagination is awe inspiring. to weave a tale like this is great. I enjoyed every moment of reading it.
    http://leahjlynn.wordpress.com/

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  9. DaydreamertooMay 17, 2012 at 5:41 PM

    This is so lovely. A love story woven from myth and legend and, who is to say it isn't true. :)
    Really lovely writing to compliment such a lovely painting. Great prompt.

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  10. Glenn ButtkusMay 17, 2012 at 7:58 PM

    What a joy to jump into this, Gay, part History, part Mythology, part sprung rhythms, this swarms with energy, and what a lovely myth to use; a happy ending for a hubris-ridden lost pair. Thanks.

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  11. henry clemmonsMay 17, 2012 at 10:57 PM

    So that is how it is done. Way more skill than I have. I really liked the flow, the feel, it's magic. I enjoyed the names and images and expert line work. I always enjoy your work and the challenges you give us on Thursdays.

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  12. Dave KingMay 18, 2012 at 3:30 AM

    Fish blew bubbled notes echoing
    above the crash, above the rock-stopped
    splash, silting staffs, the sun-gilt laughs of
    love so deep, so softly sleeping

    Several passages swept me along, this among them. The musicality of the words as effective as the rhythms and each helping the other. Fine achievement.

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  13. pam princeMay 18, 2012 at 5:02 AM

    This piece is still effervescing in my mind ... and with a beautiful tale too, really good to read.

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  14. Maude LynnMay 18, 2012 at 9:54 AM

    You nailed this! Wow!

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  15. zongrikMay 18, 2012 at 2:41 PM

    i saw that pic, and the first thing i thought of was wow, but your poem equals the pic. and you paint a similar picture, but you paint your own.

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  16. VictoriaMay 18, 2012 at 4:08 PM

    Gay, I marvel at both your ability/talent with form and your knowledge of mythology. A beautiful story so well told.

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  17. barbaraMay 18, 2012 at 11:04 PM

    Oh, you do have the cadences. Love those echoing repetitions

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  18. chrisMay 22, 2012 at 6:29 PM

    Love the language play here, and the repetition. I believe I am besotted with your description of those green clifftops wound with vines, and the tidal pools with bubbling fish, and sun-gilt laughs. Beautiful retelling of this myth, great response to the image.

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  19. WanderMay 22, 2012 at 6:42 PM

    Very good poem, and thank you for coming by...

    Wander

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  20. Rachel HoytMay 23, 2012 at 8:46 AM

    It's not rhyming, but yet quite musical in sound. Loved your poem. :)

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  21. LydiaJune 18, 2012 at 5:02 AM

    I just read this and absolutely fell in love with it. Honestly, this is one of my favorite poems now!

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  22. AnonymousJune 19, 2012 at 2:57 PM

    delicious images, a sense of thoughts tumbling (though not exactly randomly) one into the next into the next... I don't know how much of this is the result of your use of sprung rhythm, but reading the poem was an absolute delight - and I'm left with a feeling I want to explore this poetic method

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