Thursday, December 31, 2009



Thanks to Tammie Lee of Spirit Helpers for this week's prompt, wanderlust.
To all who gather at OSI: May your year be filled with reflections of light, laughter and friendship and may love be born in every new moment.


Wanderlust

There was a child
who was so hungry
for words
that she gobbled
phone books whole

her mother
did not know
what to do with her
They tried vitamins
filled her shoes with gravel
chanted the names of the dead
still she found her passport
though it was not easy
to break the seal

she dove beneath
the curled lip of fear
slept under many skies
dipped her feet
in cold racing streams
sending a shiver
to the parts of her
longing to be held

she looked up
and saw
geese carrying snow
under their wings
the wind passed through her
She felt warm
It was good

tonight she sleeps
in plain pajamas
beneath a dotted moon
watching birds chase gravity
wondering
How many eyes
are painted
on their wings?

12 comments:

zoya gautam said...

.. it is 12:15 IST

making my first 2010 post

happy new year !

as always ,

thanks for this gentle poem ..

SandyCarlson said...

That is so beautifully done. Thank you. Happy new year.

Tumblewords: said...

A wonderfully wild and willing wander. I love this, love it.

the walking man said...

How plain are the pajamas then I will tell you approximately how many eyes were looking upon her.

Be Well Anna live today and let them pile into another year fill of the best of memories.

TomCat said...

Aren't the horizons words bring into focus a wonder?

Happy New Year to you, Gabrielle, and to all here.

Jim said...

Our daughter used to stack the telehphone books to sit on. Now she is an accountant/analyst. Guess she was hugry for the numbers and not the words.

Your child went from eating the books to loving the birds. The passport was the key to release the wanderlust in her.
..
BTW for reading my OSI. Did you by chance look around a bit? My Haiku Bones 'Regret' is just above the OSI.
..

Jeeves said...

So many words eaten up into poems! Lovely post. Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Beth P. said...

oh my.
at least the pj's should have moons on them. and preferably geese too...
wow. Love this one--needed it.
THANK YOU!

floreta said...

I love how you paint this picture! Have a Happy New Year!

www.solitarypanda.com

Patti said...

Wow- excellent word and phrase choices our in your poem! Beautiful job! Happy New Year!!!

Tammie Lee said...

Gabrielle,
this is so beautiful, thank you!
Wishing you a wonderful new year!

Cloudia said...

Amazing final stanza...wonderful all.



Aloha, Friend!


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