DETOUR
Jean Cassidy July, 2021
Canopied by honeysuckle vine, the mallow and mayapple stretch to find sun.
The vine settles, then rises on a breeze. Like emissaries, finger-thin petals,
point to the distance.
Teetering as though on a threshold, she strains for what she tries to see.
Early adolescence, comfortable with family, friends, and few surprises,
her first real date this Saturday, just the two of them. The conversation,
hers to manage, without others there to spark the flow.
Described as quiet and polite, she’s learned to listen,
to keep feelings to herself free from critique.
Dating is of interest mainly to keep up with school friends.
Her mind and imagination have travelled beyond that now, pulled
to an emergent path, scary and intriguing – the Cold War,
Stonewall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam.
She understands that some still believe in angels,
messengers that arrive in dreams descended from clouds,
who bespeak beauty, power, protection.
She’s come to believe in another kind of angel.
Lucifer, the light-bearer, arises from the underworld
with destructive power, that overshadows everything,
Zoe Nicholie
OK Jean, you’ve left me wanting more in “Detour”! what does ‘she’ do with the light-bearer…how does light re-appear, that can bring hope and belief in a better world???
Love Zoe
jcadmin
Dear Friend,
That’s for you to tell all of us!
Sharron
Thanks Jane for this very powerful poem, pulling together The light in the darkness influences of childhood and adulthood and along with Bolens poem reminding us of the strength and peace in the collective wisdom of women which can continue to keep us hopeful in the belief that we have enough light to overpower the darkness. no easy feat
and thanks for the time and energy you put Naomi into reading your poetry but to gather up resources and keep us informed such as The woman led forest her training, and inspiring younger people such as Leah Boyd and Heather Pearson in addition to the information about the Carolina mountain land Conservancy and the pioneering women in science. Quite a collection in one small space
Jean Cassidy
Thanks Sharron. Yes, teenage was a wake up about the dark influences in the 60s and early 70s