It doesn’t always flow out as we intend it to;
isn’t fulfilling like a sky,
a wash of gold like a summer sunset,
sometimes
a poem requires a rosette iron
for crisp and delicate nuances— it’s up to us
how we sift and blend.
The art of cutting back is part hesitation
and part wit,
is knowing life is fragile
and accentuating the width, glimpses of broad,
green fields, reclusiveness
of the road and trees
and flowers which darkness cannot wholly blot out.
This is our craft; from the moment we first
set pen to paper,
the ink separates regulation from skin,
it is an out of body experience,
where one witnesses
the act of encapsulating rose
colored
blossoms in verse as they pirouette
to the floor— the heart
beats slower and lava burns scarlet on white.
It is certainly enough.
~ for Sarah ❤️
Photo Credits: Pinterest
Kim hosts at dVerse where she invites us to write inspired by lines taken from
poems in Sarah’s collection, Always Fire. I chose “The Art of Cutting Back.” 🎬
Posted for Poetics: In Conversation with Sarah Connor @dVerse Poets Pub
28 Responses
Beautiful tribute poem Sanaa. This is my favorite part : a poem requires a rosette iron
for crisp and delicate nuances— it’s up to us
how we sift and blend.
The art of cutting back is part hesitation
and part wit,
is knowing life is fragile
Thank you so much, Grace 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
A wonderful reply to the art of cutting back, Sanaa, I’m sure Sarah will love it. The opening stanza is perfect, with its ‘wash of gold like a summer sunset’ –and then you surprised me with the second stanza, the description of the art of cutting back as ‘knowing life is fragile’, and the ‘flowers which darkness cannot wholly blot out’. These lines round your poem off perfectly:
‘it is an out of body experience,
where one witnesses
the act of encapsulating rose
colored
blossoms in verse as they pirouette
to the floor’.
Thank you so much, my dearest Kim 🥰 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
A wonder to read, Sanaa. For me this stood out so brilliantly:
“a poem requires a rosette iron
for crisp and delicate nuances— it’s up to us
how we sift and blend.” Beautiful.
Thank you so much, Dora 😀 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️
A very beautiful tribute poem, Sanaa! 💙
“The art of cutting back is part hesitation
and part wit,
is knowing life is fragile”
Thank you so much, my dearest Merril 🥰 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
such a beautiful tribute poem for Sarah the Poet
Thank you so much, Lisa 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Yes indeed
“it’s up to us
how we sift and blend. ”
much🤍love
Thank you so much, Gillena 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️
Much love back to you!
I am impressed as ever by your words and you unravel the poet’s art too. A very touching and apt tribute to another poet.
Awww gosh! Thank you so much, Georgina 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
A wonderful take on these lines, Sanaa.
I really liked this image:
a poem requires a rosette iron
for crisp and delicate nuances…
Thank you so much, Dwight 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
A beautiful tribute poem for Sarah! Sanaa, this is so delicately nuanced. ❤️
Thank you so much, Punam 😀 so glad you liked it! 💄❤️
I really love this poem, Sanaa, and especially those lines and moments which others have rightly mentioned: the “rosette iron” one uses for “crisp and delicate nuances,” the “art of cutting back” with finely tuned “hesitation” and “wit,” and the expansiveness which opens out from the separation of “regulation” from “skin.” A fantastic read all around!
‘and flowers which darkness cannot wholly blot out.’
That phrase is such an emotive one.
Exquisitely crafted, Sanaa! Brings memories of my grandmother’s rosettes and a wonderful tribute to Sarah and her writing.
This is so beautiful, Sanaa. So many delicate images – and, yes, life is fragile, but we must still grasp it. Thank you.
A perfect description, Sanaa, of the craft and sweat of poetry!
Both Sarah’s thoughts on the editing process and your reply are so apposite – beautifully done Sanaa…
Poetry is what makes enough of what is before us, greeting and welcoming the world. Well done –
Gorgeous rendition of Sarah’s prompt lines
“The art of cutting back is part hesitation
and part wit,
is knowing life is fragile
and accentuating the width”
This tribute poem is nicely done, Sanaa. 🙂
So many profound lines to savour and ponder. Especially love “the ink separates regulation from skin,
it is an out of body experience”.
A beautiful write for Sarah.