Winter Time Travel
Great owl shakes dust from her wings,
delivers this gargoyle—your mother:
a reluctant animal until
walking you to the car
she sees your tender face against the flurry
hangs off
the nearest bamboo branch, becomes
an earnest panda.
From snowy Caribbean, Cape Cod to California
we put down our tools, we
muse aloud
“God. God. This astronomy.”
Moths flutter, flicker-flicker-flicker flam
that everyone of us were lightbulbs in another life
near the parkland maples—
We accept all, reject nothing.
We sweep streets slowly.
15 thoughts on "Winter Time Travel"
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I love the rich consonance and movement you have achieved. “face against the flurry” and the last line are so good
Mothman will appear this summer. Thank you.
“flicker-flicker-flicker flam
that everyone of us were lightbulbs in another life”
From gargoyle to panda, travelling far beyond the streets you swept. Thank you for taking us along for the journey.
love the way you hear things, Fanny
Yeah! Masterful alliteration and great pacing from the jump.
You and the Moth makin noise again 🙄
I love how the animal transformations feel both whimsical and deeply affectionate — it really captures all the different roles a loved one takes on in our memory.
Love this. Moves so well from striking image to striking image. And as others have mentioned, the sounds!
That first couplet, a wowzer! I’m not sure I follow what’s going on but don’t really care. Very intriguing and adventurous..
wildly imaginative
yet truly whole,
like life
lots of startling shape shifting–mother turned into gargoyle then swinging through trees like a panda–contained by the swooping flight of the great owl, shaking memories
Great description and lines, great ending
Mysterious and beautiful. Not sure I really follow it but the music and mood are intoxicating.
the gargoyle mother is my favorite part
The poem builds to that brilliant last line. Love this one.
Flicker Flicker Flicker Flam is A+ , Manny! Hope to see you at Kenwick soon!