Defiant Sentries

Copy Right ©2012 Hanna Gosselin ~ Pier Post Persisting

Defiant Sentries


Wooden posts rise from the water,
 defiant sentries guarding
the memory of their crumbled pier.

The young and the old had stood
upon the weathered planks
to view their reflections
in the mirror glass lake.

Fishermen had looked
over its edge to cast poles
 into the lake womb
to hook its offspring
for their dinner table.

Giggles had pierced the sun
on sunny summers as children
leapt from the pier to spell
their joy in sparkling ripples.

There were dreams initialed in the wood
of whispered love and promises
scattered in petrified bones
on the shore.

The posts had it all, life, love, secrets
tattooed in their splinters.
The lake’s rage had tried to erase
their memories in a flooded bath,
but had underestimated the echo of life
that refused to surrender.


©Susie Clevenger 2012
 The Sunday Challenge at Real Toads was to use the beautiful photography
 of Hannah Gosselin as inspiration for our poetry.









Comments

Hannah said…
Oh, Susie!!! This is such a delightful read!! I love all of the different lives that the pier posts got to perceive!! Your opening stanza just rocked it for me, absolutely gorgeous words around this. Thank you!
Scarlet said…
Such a strong voice here specially the last stanza ~ I specially like the "defiant sentries" guarding memories ~
Ben Ditty said…
Your words should be the prompt for a picture ;)
Kerry O'Connor said…
This is a wonderful retrospective of a carefree time, now lost. excellent interpretation of the picture.
Wonderfully done! Love the ideas of secrets tattooed in the splinters of the posts.
Archna Sharma said…
This is a place where life is eternal. Scattered light and memory and movement left behind for preservation and reflection. It is a beautiful tale to tell.

Thank you for your visit as well. :)
Herotomost said…
Kick ass finish to this one. This was a strong statement, made me want to work out while reading it...lol. You have a very strong voice in your writing, it gets the blood moving.