Today, I am thinking, 'natural encounters.'
Across the years I have had solitary encounters with snakes and dolphins, foxes and a platypus, among others.
Such encounters tend to remain with us as vivid memories. One encounter in particular has glowed brightly in my mind across the years. It happened way back when I was only twelve years old while wandering beside the Sassafras Creek in my childhood home town, Monbulk. A very special one off
Encounters with nature, or characters in human form, provide a rich territory for the writing of poetry. I urge you to put on your explorer boots and go in search of those encounter memories. I strongly suspect you will tap into a rich vein of poetic potential.
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Brief Encounter With A Trout
My
extended backyard
sloped
down the valley
hills,
creeks and forests
beckoning
the young explorer
This
space under the sky
a
natural theme park for untamed wandering
For
glorious expeditions
Aged
twelve
I
wandered into the forest
walking
the meandering track
beside
the Sassafras Creek.
A
thin watery sinew through an ancient forest
Intent
on checking out potential fishing spots.
The
forest around me was briefly quiet,
allowing
the soft voice of the creek,
this
prime moving force in the forest
to
be heard with clarity.
It
flowed on, murmuring a soft flub-flub
as
it cornered the bank.
The
water surface ripples faintly visible
clear
and cold.
Suddenly
a mid–sized
Rainbow
trout,
Colourful body spots
Conspicuous flecks
Exploded
through the surface
heaving
its speckled
glimmering
body upwards,
as
if exiting a cannon.
before
plunging down
with a watery slap of bubbles and foam.
A
flash, a flicker, a gravity defying leap,
The
briefest of performances.
Surface quickly glossed over.
Natural
order restored,
Creek and fish move on.
Calm is instantly restored.
wide-eyed
with wonderment
I
stand motionless
I
was there in that moment
in
the forest
when
a fish frolicked.
I
found myself in a front row seat
Witnessing
a simple pleasure.
-An
ephemeral flash of flecks
Remembered
forever.
Alan j Wright
Alan, you captured the wonder of a single moment in time so well. I especially liked the way your poem builds to the climax, adding tension and anticipation. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rose. Moments in time -exactly!
DeleteWhat a great catch of a moment! When we are kids we don't know how possible this is until we've experienced it a few times...those early moments of wow are SO wonderful. This is a great "fish story" in poetry. I'd love to see two more poems for a series of 2 truths and a lie ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Linda. Those brief moments, those encounters often deliver a a wow factor that endures in our conscious memory. I have always enjoyed 2 truths and a lie. It is an appealing part of story telling. The fine line between truth and fiction plays out so well.
DeleteI know that flub flub and flash of flecks...gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked the alliterative injection, Irene. We don't just read poetry, do we?
DeleteAlan, what wonder-filled moment you captured. This line is special with its alliteration and image you created with words.- "An ephemeral flash of flecks." I found myself spending time this week trying to create boketto poetry like you shared in one of your blog posts. I hope you have time to read what I wrote and give me advice.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol. So glad you liked my poem. I shall move on over to your blog to read your Boketto.
DeleteWhat an impression that trout made on you and now so many others! I love the way that you notice every nuance of the experience.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, Tracey. That trout 'caught' me. It is often surprising how much of that moment in time is retained when we revisit it. Memorable moments are like that. My 12 year old self was blown away by that moment-still am!
DeleteI often think of things like that moment as a kind of blessing, showing the spirit of something you may not have imagined before, a poet's beginning? It's a lovely story-poem, Alan. I love that slow movement into your telling, "briefly quiet,/allowing the soft voice of the creek," and on. You took us there!
ReplyDeleteThey are as you say, Linda, blessings. I am so glad you felt included by my words.
DeleteAgreeing with Linda - a blessing! So great to capture the memory of this childhood encounter from the perspective of adulthood. I was lucky to live near woods from about age 8 to 12 and ran wild in them, befriending any animal that crossed my path. Except the alligators at the edge of the lake - I was afraid of those. Today I almost stepped on a black snake in our back yard and laughed as it sideways-slithered under the deck, imagining it thinking, "Watch where you're going!" Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Robyn. It sounds like you had a similar childhood to me. We were most fortunate. No alligators where I grew up...
DeleteWhat a memory! You have inspired me to dig into my memories for a favorite encounter that might find its way into a poem!
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt you will find treasure, Mary Lee. I await your revelations with anticipation.
DeleteSo many amazing word choices in this poem. My favorite: flub-flub. :) What a gem.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marcie. Word choice is so interwoven into our making of poetrry. Glad you liked the watery choices I made.
DeleteAlan, I like your challenge to pay attention to these encounters. You have taken all the rich details of this flying frolicking fish all the way from your youth. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLove your alliterative words, Denise. Paying attention is our life source as writers & poets, so I must practice what I preach. Thank you for your generous response.
DeleteYes for those moments. Even non-solitary ones stay with me! From several too-close-for-comfort alligator encounters in my childhood, and swimming with dolphins (being engulfed in a pod, actually) in the wild encounter at the beach (also in childhood), to the red fox up north 20 years ago, to the coyote stalking along the edge of a huge open picnic space at a local park just a few years ago. The presence of wildness--the briefest of performances--it sticks with you. I love the way you zoomed back in time and expanded this short moment into a movie in words.
ReplyDeleteLaura, in your response there is so much rich personal experience to unpack and you're spot on with your comment-'The presence of wildness--the briefest of performances--it sticks with you.' I'm so glad you enjoyed the visual elements of my story/poem.
DeleteAww...Alan, I have a PB manuscript I titled PARTY AT THE POND that was inspired by my own encounter with a few of nature's friendlies. Love that you caught "fish frolicking" - which makes me smile, just to say it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Patricia. You no doubt identify strongly with these natural encounters. Glad you enjoyed my trout times.
DeleteThank you for this poem Alan. I love that you painted the scene then suprised us with the 'ephemeral flash of flecks ". What a wonderful phrase.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sally. Glad you enjoyed the retelling of my trrout encounter. It pleases me also that you noted the ending, as endings are critical to our poetic efforts.
Delete