Giving Back: Insight Into One Poem Shared with Author Drema Drudge

In July 2023, In The Shadow of Rainbows debuted on Amazon and I received
irreplaceable support from this WordPress community. In that light, I’d like to
lend support to a few of the generous bloggers who offered interviews. I’m
forever grateful–even a year later. Thank you so much.

Something’s Broken 

That scraping, maddening sound,
that creaking and groaning I hear–
like iron on iron
that rises with the wind
and is followed by the loud bark
of a neighbor’s dog

if that dog hears it,
everyone in this sleepy coastal town does

But what is it?

Anything could make such a mad sound,
the swinging of a gate,
halyards slapping on the mast of sailboats,
metal dragging on cement
mattress springs,
faulty wheels on a pram,
whale calls, or
marriage-vows renounced

The dogs are anxious tonight
yes, halyards clang; mine are frapped tight.

Something scrapes that shouldn’t scrape
something’s stuck that shouldn’t be
something promised to last ends

–something’s broken

That moaning and rasping strains
heavy on the wind tonight.
Do you hear it too?

(Page 56) In The Shadow of Rainbows

insight–Interviewed by Drema Drudge

(Please visit Drema Drudge’s Website to view the rest of the interview and browse.
Ms. Drudge is the author of several novels and I highly recommend the visit).

This poem comes with echoes of the butterfly effect and I feel it’s appropriate
today as it’s a reminder of how when something like wars, mass shootings, and
unrest happens in one part of the world, it affects us all. Some of us discern
the imbalance and suffer from the disparity and then some others feel lost and
walk around with one palm outstretched as if weighing something (what?) or
perpetually checking to see if it’s raining; not grasping the enormity of how
what’s happening out there relates to how we are feeling today. So really, we
all hear the moaning and rasping strains. We are all going around feeling that
something is indeed broken. So let’s all be kind to each other.

…from the bottom of my heart,

A flower with petals of rainbow colors
My purchased copy of book in front of Christmas Tree
My purchased copy of Victorine. December 2021.
A book that wowed me completely
and then repeated the joy.

(please click on the image to see the books by this author who has wowed me completely)

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Dawn Pisturino

    I love that poem, Selma, and Drema wrote a wonderful review!

    1. Selma Martin

      I’m so lucky. Really. Thanks for reading dear Dawn. Xo

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