Claiming The Rainbow Poem by Mary Havran

Claiming The Rainbow

Rating: 4.4


It was childhood enchantment in the form of song
Which first awoke in me, the rainbow-lover
Entranced as ‘Dorothy’ sang of
Her wish to someday fly far over
She not understanding, as I now do,
That rainbows only exist from a limited point of view
(Or perhaps she might have chosen instead to hover)

Now so many sects of people
Seem resolute on claiming the rainbow
Exclusively for their separate cause to use
Some with reverent sighs, claming the rainbow as sign
Of solemn promise their God once set against the sky
While the gaiety of the rainbow hues
Are proudly waived as flag by some alternate crews
(Which fundamentalists rarely welcome as good news)
Some declare the rainbow an emblem of diversity
Yet should you query those at the University
Mere prismatic refraction of sunlight creates these views

Is the Rainbow simply a natural phenomenon?
Or somehow innately related to karma?
By what reason does it inspire such melodrama?

Having not the least desire to argue
I will never debate with others, or with you,
Regarding claiming as one's due, the rainbow in the sky
(Nor be persuaded by any proffered reason why)
One can create manmade rainbows in any zone
Though I much prefer to view
Those transient arches occasioning the sky
Each rainbow offers beauty of its own
A fleeting apparition which light alone
By transecting water droplets can supply

The rainbow’s color array is far from random
Displaying the light spectrum in proper tandem
And many an artist’s pallet draws therefrom
There is pleasing perfection in this order
Something nothing else in nature seems to border
Individual elements of lightwaves briefly unbound
That’s all the rainbow really ever needs to be
So in appreciating each and every one I see,
Henceforth the one properly claiming the rainbow – will be me.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Emma Corwin 23 January 2008

I can't collect real rainbows but I have added your poem to my collection of poems about them.

0 1 Reply
Thad Wilk 12 January 2008

Beautiful write Mary! ! A real pleasure to read this poem, Thank you! ! ! *10*! ! Thad

0 0 Reply

This deserves at least three reads. It's a stunner, and so is its penner. t x

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Duncan Wyllie 14 January 2008

You say it well.. i think that to see the rainbow truly, first you have to view it from the heart and second you have to 'VIEW IT FROM THE HEART' Love duncan X

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Scarlett Treat 16 January 2008

So, from one rainbow lover to another, I saw a double the other day, and it was just awesome...so I calimed it for my very own. My daughter sent me a picture of a triple the other day...so I don't know who claims that one! Maybe it was for you?

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Manonton Dalan 28 January 2016

I make my own rainbow with coalition with sunlight

1 0 Reply
ngaio beck 06 March 2008

I deduce by the abundance of supportive and loving commentary you must be a person of some popularity.I would like to respond to this piece solely on its' quality.It speaks to me, (as I am sure it must to others) , in a language of evocative beauty. Ngaio Beck

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Prasanna Kumari 07 February 2008

lovely... rainbow is for everybody to feel an ownership personally...any poet's own.read my rainbow poem 'Hey, there' if you are interested

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Nancy Chambers 30 January 2008

Another beautiful poem!

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Xevlyn Berrada 27 January 2008

The rainbow... A phenomenon I've always admired, and materialized...the metaphorical rainbow is something I long for, and maybe the reason why I fight and go on. Thank you Mary, for your comment and the heartfelt words by the way... I really admire the way you write, it's so professionnal. Keep it up :) Xevlyn

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