Warrior Poet

Once again I am ostracized
and placed in juxtaposition

shall I choose?

between the swan's neck on
a kitchen guillotine,
the Marbled Murrelet and
the Pai Dong Long Neck People?
shall I insinuate myself amoung
the rushes and reeds and save
one starving child while holding close
to my warm breast the last pale butterfly?
how shall I oblige my warrior friend,
shall I speak to the rivers of ruby light
between the redwood pines?

shall I fall silent, like an absent wolf
under full moon?

shall I howl, a banshee in the southern comfort wind,
carry
the screams of a burning wildflower?

— Kailashana, May 18, 2008

About This Poem

About the Author

Critiques

professor

18 years ago

Hopkins again Anna

"...under a comfort serves in a whirlwind". I can hear the screams of your "burning wildfire" from here. The company of poets takes you both to many questions and emotional extremes but only you can negotiate your way between all those options where so many opposing values compell choice but where you can rarely compare like with like. Your poem is wonderful though. Keith

Kailashana

18 years ago

Why thank you Prof. Keith…

Why thank you Prof. Keith... I'm unfamiliar with Hopkins... I'll have to check him out... Sometimes one wonders, where one's best time & efforts need to be... I struggle with that... between my peace efforts with my Middle East Peace Forum, my poetry, poetry readings... needing to work and the groups I belong to... I sometimes spread myself thin.. and sometimes I just want to say f*** it all. and then I wake up again... and say on with the show... Thanks for your esteemed comment. ~A

Seren

16 years 5 months ago

Dear Mum

Scream like a banshee and never go quiet into that good night ... thats what you made me think and I was immersed in this one to the point of thrall ... love and hugs Jayne P.S the title of this one caught my eye lol warrior woman you are

Ink Dragon

16 years 5 months ago

Dear Anna,

what a poem! So many layers of meaning... shall I choose? between the swan’s neck on a kitchen guillotine, the Marbled Murrelet and the Pai Dong Long Neck People? these I felt were the strongest lines, and I know that the images will haunt me. Yours, ~Nina

odd molly

16 years 5 months ago

I am totally amazed by this

I am totally amazed by this poem. It is beautifully written and the powerful ness of it goes direct route to the heart and it will stay there for a long time. Yes and yes.. how wonderful you paint. Thank You love. o molly

Kailashana

16 years 5 months ago

Yeah, well NO ONE tells me I

Yeah, well NO ONE tells me I misspelled juxtaposition... lol. Love to All. And we're all warrior poets, eh? Writing our feelings/thoughts down for everyone to dissect... ain't ever easy, now 'tis it? ~A p.s. Lady Jayne, thank you for resurrecting this poem while I was sleeping. ;-)

RobertKnott

16 years 5 months ago

hmmmm....

to be a warrior poet;........? "whether ' tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune..." What knows fate of where your heart lies? Should fate, even have a say in so? Or do you go of your own accord And freely, pen in hand, To tender the hateful dragon, fear, It's long over-do exile Piece by piece, if need be, From a much needed earthly paradise In the name of Peace? hahahah....... forgive; I laugh not at your quandry But in the knowledge that choice, Be what may, Or fate play her scissored hand, You drew for the good fight at all; If only for a day. So hope colors the sunrise merciful pink Without remorse; In all its' glory, Passionate, peaceful, Without anger to seed a story. R~

Orphani

16 years 4 months ago

What a woman.B

What a woman. B