Sheila
Martindale’s varied career has included that of editor, broadcast
journalist, theatre columnist and occasional teacher.
She
was born and educated in England, moving to Montreal in 1966, where
she lived through the October Crisis of 1970, and then relocated to
Ontario. After raising her family there, she continued her westward
trek, stopping for one winter in Alberta before making the final push
to the west coast. She now makes her home in Victoria, where she is
very active on the literary and artistic scene.
Eden in the Fall
The first spring
earth spun out of chaos
beginnings
a
time of saplings
and birth
of venturing wobbly-kneed
through Eden’s seedling meadows
and birth
of venturing wobbly-kneed
through Eden’s seedling meadows
At
what season
were apples ripe
in Paradise?
Not in those early days
of awed delight
at all small growths
were apples ripe
in Paradise?
Not in those early days
of awed delight
at all small growths
nor
even as summer reached its height
in the thickening of hedgerows
in long slow days
the air still with heat
in the thickening of hedgerows
in long slow days
the air still with heat
Eve,
not in the springtime
or summer of your life
not in your days of naive youth
nor even as you grew into maturity
you did not yearn
in those years
for a taste of knowledge
or of truth
or summer of your life
not in your days of naive youth
nor even as you grew into maturity
you did not yearn
in those years
for a taste of knowledge
or of truth
No
It must have been in autumn
your thoughts turning
and falling among the leaves
when the apples
juicycrisp redglowing
hung with tantalizing readiness
within your reach
It must have been in autumn
your thoughts turning
and falling among the leaves
when the apples
juicycrisp redglowing
hung with tantalizing readiness
within your reach
Yes
- then
after the seasons of wildflowers
and lazy warmth
of dreaming and drifting
you were ready
to take a chunk of life
savour its semi-sweetness
taste its stimulating tang
after the seasons of wildflowers
and lazy warmth
of dreaming and drifting
you were ready
to take a chunk of life
savour its semi-sweetness
taste its stimulating tang
and
offer it to him
to share
to share
1 comment:
VERY neatly done poem via Sheila Martindale...
just sent you some recently done images
along the same mind-stuff as her poem is.
and
the thought has just 'struck' me
that:
Money has ruined BOTH art and Poetry .... the mantra now ....
"whatever sells is art / poetry"
next thing y'all will see is
a room for rent by the hour
in which to read a poem or
show a painting ?
Post a Comment