Here in a quiet and dusty room they lie,
Faded as crumbled stone or shifting sand,
Forlorn as ashes, shrivelled, scentless, dry -
Meadows and gardens running through my hand.
In this brown husk a dale of hawthorn dreams;
A cedar in this narrow cell is thrust
That will drink deeply of a century's streams;
These lilies shall make summer on my dust.
Here in their safe and simple house of death,
Sealed in their shells, a million roses leap;
Here I can blow a garden with my breath,
And in my hand a forest lies asleep.
Mr. Straw, resorting to insults only serves to embarrass you more than your ill-conceived concept of poetry. You're on the verge of becoming a philistine, unless...
ONE: The poetess explores the theme of potential and transformation. Through vivid imagery, she portrays seemingly lifeless seeds in a shop, which, upon closer examination, hold within them the promise of growth and beauty.
TWO: The poem serves as a meditation on time, emphasizing that even in unassuming objects, the potential for life lies dormant, waiting to burst forth.
THREE: The seeds symbolize hidden possibilities, much like the forest that "lies asleep" within them. Stuart's words remind us that beneath the dust and mundane appearances, there exists a world of vitality and renewal, waiting to bloom when given the chance.
Gray's Elegy came to mind as I was reading this, and not just because of 'narrow cell'....
A metaphorical poem, thought-provoking, but beautifully summed up. Congratulations being chosen as The Modern Poem Of The day.5 Stars.
Such a lovely poem, singing beautifully with imagery!