Light From the Barn
Lessons from My Ancestors
The light is a break
I stand in for comfort, barely parted
from the darkness beyond.
I remain tethered, out of fear, for what waits
in the darkness.
Young for heavy labor, I absorb scents and sounds:
crickets chirping,
cats growling after a rustled mouse,
hens cackling as they settle into straw-stuffed nesting hollows.
Startled by a distant yowl, I retreat toward the barn's aperture.
Inside the barn, Dad milks and feeds the cattle amid sharp, earthy alfalfa
and burbling water troughs.
Moths sing to enter that golden patch,
mesmerized by the precipice of light.
In the darkness, moon stoked shadows linger.
The radience surrounds my tiny form,
a superb height
where home is recognized by footprints
hard in the earth.
I stand in the glow from the barn
to witness my passage.
Wheel of life, order and balance, built on the premise
that light within is reflected outward.
I was safe in the cycle of seasons.
Wheat fields full of golden antennae,
ripe for harvest. Rocks shifting for next year's picking.
Petals melting into moss, like earth
blends with sky.
A history exists in that light
which never changes, only shifts a little
in the turning.
I no longer fear the darkness. I mold it,
using rainbow clay. Nurture it
to build brigdes.
About the Creator
Jennifer Lorraine - Bloch McGee
*Imagination is the plaything of fairies. Without imagination we are doomed*
My heart and soul goes into my writing. If I don't bleed a little, I haven't done it right.
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Comments (10)
I know it is totally cheesy to comment on your own poem but I just read this out loud and I gave myself goose bumps. I guess I just want to say I am proud of myself for how hard I worked on this poem...I truly got my heart, my soul, my love, my nostalgia, my strength...well you get the point...I packed it in their :D
There's a piece of your heart in this that helps it glow. Beautiful poem!
What great imagery ❤️❤️🥵
What a gorgeous and immersive experience this was to read. Stunning poem! Congrats on your placement in the challenge!!! 💫
This poem fit perfectly on my list this week, Jennifer ✨🥰 https://vocal.media/writers/lust-for-words-3
Wheel of life, order and balance, built on the premise that light within is reflected outward. I read this on repeat ❤️✨ This is superb x
This has soooo many beautiful lines!! This one is my favorite though- “In the darkness, moon stoked shadows linger.” It feels like it could be the title of a whole book of poetry to me! 🥰
You definitely have a gift for poetry! Loved the incredible imagery and sensory details! You've got some fantastic lines--"where home is recognized by footprints / hard in the earth" and "I no longer fear the darkness. I mold it, / using rainbow clay." I love how much your work makes me think and seek to unravel its meaning!
Lovely! I adore the vocabulary you used.
Wonderfully evocative, Jennifer! 💕🙂