Sunday, November 29, 2009

Decade

For advent, here's Chase Twichell's poem Decade:
I had only one prayer, but it spread
like lilies, a single flower duplicating
itself over and over until it was rampant.

uncountable. At ten I lay dreaming
in its crushed green blades.

How did I come by it, strange notion
that the hard stems of rage could be broken,
that the lilies were made of words,

my words? Each one I picked
laid a wish to rest. I mean killed it.

The difference between prayer
and a wish is that a wish knows it will be
a failure even as it sets out,

whereas a prayer is still innocent.
Wishing wants prayer to find that out.
from her wonderful collection The Snow Watcher.

4 comments:

Suem said...

I'm very approving of blogging about poems - must do that a bit more often. I've noticed nobody ever comments if I post poems, but I am going to comment on this! I think this poem is partly about the balance of hope and disillusion in life and in faith. That' something I can relate to this advent - and most of the time actually! It's also my deep thought for the day (week?)

Vixen said...

That is a great poem. And one I had never heard before. I think I like the way she writes so much, I may check out her entire collection. Thank you for sharing.

rajm said...

Two comments on a poem post - thank you!
I picked up this collection on a trip to the US, there's more from the Snow Watcher, quoted here I've found it difficult to find her works in the UK maybe I should try the internet(!)

Angel Checks said...
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