Rowing Too
A response to “The Awful Rowing Toward God”
Anne Sexton, 1975
In my boat with dead Anne
my oars joined in her journeying
strain to row toward the Almighty.
The shoulders of my spirit
though broad
how they ache.
What help is damp courage?
Soaked habits cling. If I scrape away the fabric
my skin peels with it.
Ocean salt burns
heaping penance on penance.
New currents spin me off course.
Trying to navigate I realize
while murmuring psalms
my blistered palms have been rowing in circles.
18 thoughts on "Rowing Too"
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Terrific, E.E.! Sexton would be proud.
Ooohhh, Kevin, thanks ever so much! She has long been one of my favorites. (And I really appreciate your feedback.)
Can feel the soaked habits clinging along with the damp courage and palms blistered by rowing in circles.
Thank you, Kathy!
Well done Like the form and word choice.
Thank you, Linda. (I’m a bit of a fiend about strong vocabulary. LoL)
Yes! (clapping) What Kevin said!
Thank you, Sylvia! You input is so valuable.
Love this poem. Landed it well: “Trying to navigate I realize
while murmuring psalms
my blistered palms have been rowing in circles.”
Thank you so much, Pam! You’re another experienced wordsmith whose comments I value highly.
‘What help is damp courage?
Soaked habits cling. If I scrape away the fabric
my skin peels with it. ‘
Visceral, I love that line. I’m also a huge Anne Sexton fan.
Isn’t her work amazing! Such genius. Thank you so much for your feedback. I appreicate it.
I really like the form here, and that use of “psalms” and “palms” in the last stanza.
Thank you so much, L.
The final stanza is my favorite. I’m mindful of the woman who’s now rowing from California to Hawaii…but somehow, we hope the spiritual life isn’t always so arduous. Maybe God’s in the boat with us! Anyway, a well-crafted poem!
Thank you so much, Greg, and wow! Rowing from California to Hawaii? Yikes!
Have you ever heard the “Blue Boat” song from one of the UU hymnals? It’s beautiful in lyrics and melody.
oh the circles and the journey, the ache and the burn.
You captured it all
Thanks
Thank you so much, Laverne!