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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Her Apple Dance



On the walls I watch the moving shadows.
Imagining her apple dance,
the way she bowed to make us smile.

The tricks she used to bring a smile!
When we were sad she'd cast shadow
puppets on the wall and make them dance.

She brought to life both song and dance -
always a lilt in her voice; with a smile
she swept away all trace of shadows.

Shadows sway in apple dance; I see her smile.

© Gay Reiser Cannon * 8.30.2012 * All Rights Reserved


 Posted for the awesome Sam Peralta's article @dVersePoets Pub today on the Tritina Form -you can read it here and try it yourself!

29 comments:

  1. this is a moving piece gay...i love trees...and as kids we used to climb them..and they surely bring comfort though i never exactly found out how they do it...we have a german song where a woman mourns for her friend, the tree - reminded me of this.. glad you see her smile still...

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  2. This is beautiful. I also love trees but (I feel) this is about your mother or grandmother maybe, and how she'd dance and make you smile with her happy antics. It is a really tender, intimate tribute to a woman you so obviously loved.
    Truly lovely.

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  3. this is really touching gay....i tried the form a few times and could only write ones with humor could not get serious with all the repetition but you did it well...and its relatable too...love the dancing shadows...

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  4. mmmm. What a memorial! So many images to remember someone in: moving shadow, apple dance, tricks and bow, smile--so be she tree or person or both, you have got me enjoying the feeling and the view.

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  5. Wow, lovely and imaginative with the apple dance.

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  6. This is really beautiful, very touching. I love the image of the shadow dancing and wonder what happened to this person.

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  7. This is so sweet. I love the way you repeat apple dance. The more I read this form, the more I am enjoying it's twisting way of dancing around and about. You captured it so perfectly here.

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  8. My first thought was of a dancing child, my second was of the tree. This is a spirit filled poem. Poetry has a way transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. You've done a wonderful job here.

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  9. This makes me want to know more about her...was hoping you'd tell us who she is. There is a beautiful freedom to this, Gay.

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  10. My dear friend's mother died day before yesterday. This is dedicated to her. She was a strong and loving woman who pioneered many paths. But this was an imagined bit of whimsy that any mother could give to her children.

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  11. Really lovely, loving picture painted here...a little larger and better than life, the way adults can be for children, but warm, naturally sweetened and evocative--'the apple dance' is just inspired, and lights up the shadows.Loved the sense of peace and security beneath the loving care and the laughter.

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  12. This is so beautiful, Gay. She seemed to have been a person who knew just what to do to amuse children. Things don't have to be elaborate. In fact, sometimes they are more remembered if they are simple. I remember making shadows dance when I was a child.....with my mother. I'm thinking now I must introduce this to my grandchildren.

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  13. I like the apple dance and smiling shadows...very lovely tribute to her, Gay ~

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  14. when sadness can dance, and love can transcend gender and species, you have created something special. Nice use of the form, and nice tribute. At first I thought the tribute was to the apple tree, now long gone, like youth.

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    Replies
    1. After re-reading I can see that interpretation. It could work too (a voice can always be suggested by the wind and laughter too I think) but it wasn't my mind's image - more of a mother from one child's point of view (now grown).

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  15. A beautiful tribute... I did see that, despite your illustration of a tree (which the poem could well be describing), your words were instead drawing the picture of a wonderful woman, loving and dependable and beautiful.

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  16. Gorgeously crafted, love the soft gentle tone.

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  17. Lovely evocation of a person and past from the perspective of the child

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  18. touching piece. Really beautifully penned. You really took the form to another level with the depth in this piece. Great write Gay

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  19. The poem dances and I smile. There are no shadows that I can see.

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  20. Again, a nice choice of word to begin the tritina; they work so well with your concept.

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  21. truly love how you brought the tree to life... such personality... I'll be canning sauce soon... the blessings of the tree

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  22. The more of these tritinas I read, the more I love the ability of this form to carry really touching, emotional images. Your's is no exception Gay. Lovely. Tony

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  23. Love this. It has a dream like quality for me :)

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  24. A beautiful and touching tribute.

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  25. I liked the sound of an apple dance. Nice tritina!

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  26. It's a tree but you beautifully brought life into it. Nice write Gay!

    Hank

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  27. Shadows cast to cast away shadows. Stunningly beautiful and sweet.

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