Tuesday, June 15, 2010

the skies that hover

the skies
that hover
between
the warning
of a bruised blue-purple
and cloud scattered summer depths



alfred sisley small meadows in spring

are the skies
i love to see mirrored
in the flow of a river

in the rich contrast
of leaves and flower petals

in the deep shadow
of a passing friend

10 comments:

Noelle said...

Beautiful painting by Sisely and lovely sensitive verse. The skies that "hover between the warning of a bruised blue purple and a cloud scattered summer" hold the tension of the opposites. Jung speaks of the tension between the ego and the unconscious mind. The speaker likes to see the tensions in the physical world reflected in the flow of the river, again a symbol for the unconscious. The next stanza talks again about contrast between leaves and petals (part of the same plant but they serve very different functions) and finally the reflection of that same hovering tension between warning and scattering in the shadow of a friend. The shadow is yet another symbol of those repressed parts of the psyche that can be dark or golden. It all depends on the person who perceives it. I found this link which I had never seen before but this person is a Jungian. I am sure of it. http://www.eupsychia.com/perspectives/defs/duality.html
Namaste,
Noelle

Jinksy said...

Is this a requiem?

steven said...

jinksy it is. but not for a person as much as for a state of being. a way of knowing part of myself for the last twenty years that has left. it's difficult to unpack right here. but i recognized it's passing as necessary. steven

steven said...

thanks noelle - your insight in today's jungian unpacking is remarkable. (see my comment to jinksy). thankyou also for the link to the article by jacquelyn small . . . it was really insightful, timely, and so useful! steven

Elisabeth said...

'The deep shadow of a passing friend', a line filled with resonance. Interesting that Jinksy wondered if it was a requiem. I can hear that, too but the opening seems less sorrowful, despite the 'purple'.

Pauline said...

this post and the one prior are like beautiful music themselves - uplifting and and calming at once.

Reya Mellicker said...

Yes the deep shadow of a passing friend. Oh man, I am so on this wavelength today, grieving, but somehow without grasping. Reading your words furthers my efforts, thank you.

Here's something carved into the granite walls of Union Station. I read it over and over again, any time I'm there:

Welcome the coming
Speed the parting guest
Virtue alone is sweet society
It keeps the key to all
Heroic hearts and opens you
A Welcome in them all.

steven said...

elisabeth it is a sort of requiem as i mentioned in my comment to jinksy. letting go of anything deserves some sort of observation i think. i'm glad it doesn't feel entirely mournful! steven

steven said...

pauline thanks for that thoughtful comment. i'm always pleased when my own work helps others. steven

steven said...

wow reya - that's one sweet piece of writing. virtue alone is sweet society . . .well i'm not entirely virtuous but i sure welcome the coming so i get inside the words pretty easily. thanks so much for this. steven