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Sestina for a Forgetful Grove by ~Vingilote:iconVingilote:





Dear sloping pine wood, why did you forget
That I belonged to you, and you my grove?
When I awoke from sleep and then perceived,
Your heart was bare, and you bore no imprint,
For in the passing of a little time,
You withdrew, forsook so deep a bond.

Do you recall how we once forged our bond?
How could our spirits' blending be forgot?
As I knelt we seemed to stop all time,
In endless seconds you became my grove,
And you breathed into me your own imprint
As mine in you all travelers could perceive.

Or earlier, when I your pines perceived,
before we joined in our mutual bond,
I gasped with joy when I found no imprint,
Knew I would never this one room forget,
Knew here in the Shamtotas was my grove,
And wished it to be so throughout all time.

And afterwards, how many were the times
I might the runes on your totem perceive,
Or freeze the ground, stop fires in my grove,
Or kneel for preservation of this bond
in rituals no Druid could e'er forget,
And in your soil was fixed my knees' imprints.

And all that gone?  You now have no imprint?
Did they mean naught to you, those lovely times?
In fifteen months, could you really forget,
Invite some young forestal to perceive
And join with him in some new endless bond?
Could you so quickly be another's grove?

But if you would another's be, my grove,
If your pine trees desire another's imprint,
I will surrender to your younger bond,
And sadly hope that it will outlast time,
For Nature Herself surely must perceive
Which bonds it would be better to forget.

But not this time.  We'll forge anew our bond,
all others may perceive our dear imprint.
Do not forget our unity, my grove.
©2008-2009 ~Vingilote
:iconvingilote:

Author's Comments

My character in Achaea ([link]) recently returned and found that her grove had forgotten her.

For me, this poem was fun to write, but I'm not satisfied with the results. I don't think the sestina is really the form for me, but it was fun trying it out!

Comments


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:icononebardmojo:
Barrrrrrrrrdic. *grin* I like this a lot.

--
Love is stronger than death. (Robert Fulghum)
:iconvingilote:
Thank you! I'm not sure about the bardics. I'd like to be happy with what I submit :D

It's good to know that you're still active here! :hug:
:iconvioletsorceress:
I like it! Sestinas are notoriously hard to write, and yours works very well.
:iconvingilote:
Thank you! I now have a good understanding of why everyone says that sestinas are difficult :P
:iconnynae:
I love it, Greta! Absolutely lovely. You really should submit it to the Bardics. It's sure to win.

--
My heart is as open as the sky.
:iconhisakaiya:
Eek.

It's sad, and sweet, and lovely. It does seem a little awkward, I have to admit - but that's what we have drafts for! But I like all the plays on imprint and perceive. :)
:iconvingilote:
And it makes you go eek? Eek!

Thank you! Yes, drafts are our friends :D
:iconhisakaiya:
Sadly, I don't remember why I went eek.

Wait! Yes I do. I went 'eek' from the viewpoint of a fellow grove user. The idea of losing that bond makes the Kaiya in me go 'eek' and wilt.

Details

January 22, 2008
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