Statuary: Marble Sanctuary Poem by Nika McGuin
Statuary: Marble Sanctuary
cold induced yawn
warm breath expelled
a bout of restrained shivers
and a foot tapping soundlessly missing the ground at times
another foot planted, shaking steadfast
a warm wave washes over
instantly crashed by an icy relative
it's wednesday, and frosty lace has veiled her
a colony of icicles clings on about its edges
they draw close during wintertide
to be melted with the coming of summertide
once human, the kindly statue remains
bearing the harshness that dangles from Orion's belt
1: I was in class on Wednesday (3-12-14) and I couldn't concentrate on anything but the fact that it was freezing! So basically the beginning of the poem stems from that.
2: out of it came the idea of a human becoming a patron statue. Whether it happens by choice or homelessness is up to you to decide. (In fact it stems back to childhood watching HBO fairy tales for every child. There was one episode on The Happy Prince. So you could say the idea comes from there) You could also say that I felt like i was becoming a block of ice, and so from one solid to the next the thought progressed.
3: The most important idea though for me, is the idea of the statue curing frozen hearts. So the frost and icicles that come to her in the winter are really people. By the coming of summer they are cured. I would almost say she is Mother Teresa, but the veil I imagine is quite different lol.
Also, I'll note that the mention of Orion's belt is a nod to MIB - because I felt like it lol. Its my synonym for 'world.' Also it is quite marble like in nature(and the statue is marble.)
Another note: The waves of cold and warmth are another representation of summer and winter. And that connects with the terms wintertide and summer tide.
I think I've over-noted now, but at least there should be fewer misunderstandings.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/26/2024 11:08:12 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Your notes certainly clarified the situation of this poem and brought its elements into a coherent whole. But the first time I read it, I just enjoyed the flow of words, images, rhythms. It's not just the coherence of meaning which makes the poem impressive, it's also the coherence of poetic language that impresses. Your voice never falters, it's as if I could recite the whole poem in one breath, and not be breathless at the end. That's the flow of poetic energy that never completely spends itself but circles back on itself, restored and whole. I can't find the words to explain my reaction clearly, because it relates to an undercurrent in poetry which is deeper than dict'y meanings.