Walking With an If #Sunday Snapshot with @JamesRainsford @NWCreativeUnion

"Seagulls and Shadows " © James Rainsford



If my shadow had wings,
it could fly free of
the ancient bones
my feet must carry.

I walk on brittle toes
wishing I could ride
the wind of my youth.

Guess I should be glad
my deaf ears can’t hear this cane
tapping me closer to eternity.


©Susie Clevenger 2012
we were blessed to have the photography of
James Rainsford as inspiration for our work.
I also linked my poem to Real Toads' Open Link Monday.



Comments

Ben Ditty said…
Lovely font! I've always found shadows inspirational. And, I think they could fly free, but are one with us and choose not to.
Unknown said…
Love the opening line :)
Jinksy said…
Thoughtful reaction to an unusual snapshot...
James Rainsford said…
Brilliant Suzie. Who'd have thought pressing the shutter at precisely the right moment, would result in such a remarkable and perceptive poem.
Thank you for bringing my picture to life. James.
Tashtoo said…
Susie! The co-mingling of character...the strength of voice despite brittle bones, the appreciation of the other...you've sent me back to the drawing board.. and like Ben, the font only lends to the effectiveness...love it!
Very sweet, bittersweet poem. enjoyed.
Kerry O'Connor said…
You have captured the frailty of old age with a gentle pathos here, Susie.
crisp and compact...esp the last stanza.superbly done.
Monty said…
ah, susie, great write. you gave me new perspective on the image I chose and as yet haven't been able to capture in poetics. you did. and left me with a very stephen kingish image of the soul as a shadow flying at last free of the aging body's restraint :)

Monty
Monty said…
ah,susie, you've given new perspective to same work I chose but as yet have been able to capture with poetics. you have. and left me with stephen kingish image of soul finally freed from aging body's restraint and sailing home as a shadow :)

Monty
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Oh Susie, what a treat - the photo and your interpretation. I so love "wishing I could ride the wings of my youth"....and that cane tapping him (me) closer to eternity!! Awesome.
Jim said…
Very nice, Susie. A lot of us have wishes similar to your poet's.

When I reached the tapping cane part it reminded me of Poe's The Raven:

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a
tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber
door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber
door;
Only this, and nothing more."
.
[ http://poetry.eserver.org/the-raven.txt ]
..
Susan said…
Love the photo, the wings, the shadow, the bones, the feet/toes/cane and the sounds of the cane tapping--which your narrator ignores by will or deafness. Either way, gratitude is key. I am grateful for this poem that honors our loyal feet!
Grace said…
Nice snapshot of James there ~

I like the opening lines best ~

Happy Monday ~
Shawna said…
I love your first three lines.
Serena said…
I wanted to highlight the lines I liked best, but I realized I'd have to copy the whole thing. I really liked this.
Laura said…
killer closing lines Susie!
Unknown said…
Brilliant use of metaphor and inference, Susie. And I relate. Although only 53, I have aged joints... 4 surgeries in last 2 years to address severe arthritis.
Teresa said…
That is a great picture prompt. I love the line "wishing I could ride the wind of my youth."
tinkwelborn said…
What a message, here.
Boy, do many of us fathom that 'Shadow'
and the still latent 'Desire.'
as someone else has mentioned:
the last stanza is the 'Killer.'
Nice job, here, Susie. I like your poem.
Maude Lynn said…
I adore that last stanza!
Unknown said…
I think I should save this poem to read some years down the road when a cane might be helping me get around!
Luke Prater said…
'ride the wings of my youth' is something I think we can all relate to (except 18-year-olds... hehe)
Margaret said…
The last stanza is a zinger!! and the photo is a perfect compliment.