I thought of time ‘neath the paling
amber sun wondering about clocks,
about what they are meant to give.
What trouble paints a bystander’s
face? What hour takes and what if
it was too late?
I wondered where had lovers gone
knowing soon white-flowered grass
would be stained with woe—
I wondered if pain had turned into
a cloud, knowing none had heart
to whisper dread out loud—
I sought to lie beneath a questioning
sky, learning time was a cold swirl of
wind, a language which stirs the soul
even after sorrow remains.
Photo credits: Clock of the academie francaise, Paris.
I chose to write about the ‘Great Depression’ in France.
Posted for ‘Camera Flash’ @ Real Toads
and on ‘Poetry Pantry’ @ Poets United
and Monday Writes @ My Blog- Verses
I love the questions here and can feel the despair running right through…..
like here “….I wondered if pain had turned into
a cloud, knowing none had heart
to whisper dread out loud—…”
Thank you so much, Vivian 🙂 so glad you liked it ❤️
I so like “none had heart to whisper dread out loud”. I think many of us feel like that these days, each day with more bad news. Smiles.
Thank you so much, Sherry 🙂 so good to see you ❤️
a language which stirs the soul
even after sorrow remains.
Feeling of sorrow is difficult to dismiss from the mind especially if it is for someone dear to one’s heart!
Hank
Definitely 🙂 thanks for stopping by, Hank ❤️
I enjoyed the meandering of thought and wondering about time in your poem, Sanaa. I love the play on the ‘clock / face’ in the lines:
‘…wondering about clocks,
about what they are meant to give.
What trouble paints a bystander’s
face?’
and the link between Paris and love in the lines:
‘I wondered where had lovers gone’.
The underlying sense of there being so many things we cannot know is very strong.
Thank you so much, Kim 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
I wondered where had lovers gone
knowing soon white-flowered grass
would be stained with woe—
This is a very touching poem, Sanaa. It inspires contemplation.
Thank you so much, Kerry 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
Yes, this time of respite between two world wars really was too short for France but strangely the arts thrived in this period. A really beautiful but sad poem Sanaa.
Thank you so much, Robin 🙂 so good to see you ❤️
Love that reaction to the clock in the image.. what if it is too late…nicely done Sanaa!
Thank you so much, Rajani 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
There is a solemn sadness in this piece, which as Kerry said, invites contemplation.
Thank you so much, Rommy 🙂 so good to see you ❤️
The sorrow here is palpable, and I want to know more of this story! So much in it to reflect on.
Thank you so much, Mary 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
Exquisite! Such beautiful melancholy and imagery. ❤
Thank you so much, Loredana 😀 so good to see you ❤️
How astutely you observe and your wonderings have all the kindness of an empathetic heart- especially love:
“What trouble paints a bystander’s
face?”
Thank you so much, Laura 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
A beautiful write!!
❤️❤️❤️
Back again. I really love “I wondered if pain had turned into a cloud.”
Thank you so much, Sherry 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
This was beautiful…not only the words, but the lovely rhythm of it.
Thank you so much, Sherri B. 🙂 so glad you liked it ❤️
Very good, Sanaa, I certainly enjoyed reading this piece.
Thank you so much, Julian 🙂 so glad you enjoyed it ❤️
This is so surreal, Dali-like. I love “What trouble paints a bystander’s face?” and the white-flowered grass being stained with woe.
Thank you so much, Colleen 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
This is one of your best Sanaa. It is sensitive and pure in its questioning. You did a great job with this one (as you usually do).
Thank you so much, Myrna 😀 so good to see you ❤️
Beautiful poem! Deep questions allied to masterful lyrical verse. To me, it doesn’t obviously suggest ‘the great depression in France’ – but I don’t think that matters. It has wider scope.
Thank you so much, Rosemary 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
Hauntingly rendered. Closing on a questioning sky is powerful and poignant … a stunning image.
Thank you so much, Wendy 😀 so glad you enjoyed it ❤️
You handled that prompt with great literary competence, in my opinion.
ZQ
Thank you so much, ZQ 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
“Time as language to stir the soul” gorgeous imagery Sanaa
Much♥️love
Thank you so much, Gillena 😀 so good to see you ❤️
Much🌹love
beautiful use of language. enjoyed reading your poem. 🙂
Thank you so much, Cheong 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
I wondered where had lovers gone
knowing soon white-flowered grass
would be stained with woe—
I wondered if pain had turned into
a cloud, knowing none had heart
to whisper dread out loud—
Sigh .. heartwrenchingly gorgeous! 💙
Thank you so much, Cara 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
Poignant. I heard The Wall Street Crash of 1929 was one of the main causes of the Great Depression.
Definitely 🙂 thanks for stopping by, Chris ❤️
Beautifully written Sanaa.
Thank you so much, Linda 😀 so good to see you ❤️
A melancholy but beautiful write Sanaa.
So many questions of the affect of time, its power over us…
Anna :o]
Thank you so much, Anna 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
“time was a cold swirl of wind”
I often find it that way myself!
Definitely 🙂 thanks for stopping by, MMT ❤️
Sanaa thank you for linking to Monday WRites this week
Much❤️love
My pleasure, Gillena 🙂
Much🌹love