There is an old man
by this river, an old,
old man, dancing
like he’s by the sea.
Here, the water is fresh,
narrow like book-
ends, fitted
yet rippling with moss
and loamy banks.
There is an old man
and he dances
like he’s by the sea, he
dances, arms open
and he dances,
and each foot glides
‘twixt air and walking
path. The air is pulsed
like sickly breath, like
a hovering over sand,
sharp glass and soft
sea glass, pushing
seagrass up and aside
and holding his feet
a second more
before they touch
the earth, and the old,
old man dances
without touching
the ground. It’s the air
in a breeze that pulses
gray hair up, whips
beneath it like
an unpinned canvas,
paints salted, wet air
across his fleeing wisps.
The man, glorious old man,
fairly floats—he stands out
by a rushing roaming river,
dancing like he’s by the sea.
He’s catching waves
in eyes too far away
to not be escaping, too
far away from future
or past crashings, weepings.
It’s a hue of mid-morning
crisping, the air out of an
expanse, expanding,
and it’s as if the sea
is in this riverbed, on its
bank and this old, old
man is dancing, his arms
wide open.
A/N: Oh, how I wish we had separate poetry formatting on Vocal to shorten those pesky line break gaps...
In other news, this was written for Randy Baker's Prompted #5 Unofficial Challenge. Do check it out, the deadline is still a couple days away!
I used the following words: dancing sea beneath open glides breeze canvas wisps glorious catching waves escaping hue expanse (all the pink words, 14 total).
About the Creator
Mackenzie Davis
“When you are describing a shape, or sound, or tint, don’t state the matter plainly, but put it in a hint. And learn to look at all things with a sort of mental squint.” Lewis Carroll
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Copyright Mackenzie Davis.
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Comments (9)
Congrats on capturing the 1st Place slot yet again. Outstanding job.
Congratulations!
This imagery is incredible, I was able to picture it so vividly and absorb all the emotions. I've missed this😊
Ah to be that old man dancing by the sea were I dancer 'twould be the life for me Sadly I am bound to the earthen realm By the desire can often overwhelm my desire to again behold that expanse. Loved this poem, Mackenzie! It was so beautifully sad, but also so wonderfully hopeful? It reminded, in a strange way, of the steady beat of a sea bird's wings
I loved this old man!
So rhythmic with the repetition! Like dancing! A great wistful and lyrical piece!
This oozes beautiful sadness. Mackenzie, this is sublime.
Got some reason, this whole poem reads in shades of blue.
How I wish I could be like the old man. That was a good theme, going for all the pink words. I loved your poem!