THE COROLLARY vivid model of life the skull imparts a gift grave spur to a mind shift grants life past death | Abhanga © 2022 selmamartin.com
Picture credit: Britta Benson. This photograph was taken inside St. Cecilia’s Church (built in 1739), Heusenstamm, Germany.
The Corollary
dramatic archetype of life’s symbolism
the skull proffers profound introspection
vital spur to positive transformation
to explicate for this life beyond death
then death delineates life in retrospect
to a virtuous prototype once gone through
the butterfly, of its stages, has no clue
lest its species’ survival it negates
This post is for Colleen M. Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday Photo Prompt, in which I’m happy
to participate. Thanks to Britta for inspiring me to be this creative this week.
The Abhanga is what I worked on first. But then I saw more from the wonderful photo
and added two extra columns.
Updating: Hello, friends. After reading David’s post, I found out that the column
section is known as a cleave poem.
In its most basic form, a cleave is three poems:
- two parallel ‘vertical’ poems (left and right)
- a third ‘horizontal’ poem being the fusion of the vertical poems read together — like
life and death– which is what I saw in Britta’s wonderful photo.
Adding: The best way to appreciate the cleave poem is on your browser. If you’re on
your phone & in Reader, I encourage you to switch to browser mode by clicking on the
globe icon on your screen.
Thanks for reading,
I wish you miracles.
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This is most excellent, Selma. Well written!
<3
David
Cleave poem. That was the word that escaped me when I wrote this. Yours of long ago left an impression on me. That’s what I was alluding too.
But the boxed columns I put them in might make them hard to read. Maybe.
I just read yours. Mesmerized as always. Bless you.
Nice skull photo. Beautiful poem.
Thanks, sweet Raj
Wonderful poems Selma, such a joy to read
It’s encouraging to read this comment. Thanks, D 💕
Fantastic, Selma! 💕🙂
Glad you thoughts so, Harmony. Xoxo
Skulls give us much to contemplate about life. Well done. (K)
Yes, they remind us of things we lose touch with. Thanks for appreciating this. Blessings.
Well done, Selma!
Thanks, Annette. Blessings
Very cool! ♥️💀♥️
☺️ thanks— we real 😎 cool!
You heard this one, Tricia?
We Real Cool
by GWENDOLYN BROOKS
The Pool Players.
Seven at the Golden Shovel.
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
👏 👏 👏
Gwendolyn Brooks, “We Real Cool” from Selected Poems. Copyright © 1963 by Gwendolyn Brooks. Reprinted with the permission of the Estate of Gwendolyn Brooks. 👏
😄 Hadn’t read that before, it’s going to be stuck in my head now, though! Thanks, Selma! 😎
This is definitely a creepy image. Britta says this image is from the Baroque period, very dark indeed. Selma you captured that feeling!
Aww… you made me smile with such a comment. Thanks.
It’s really quite interesting when you look at the church it’s in and where the sculpture(s) are place. 🥰
Skulls are fascinating, aren’t they? Thought-provoking work Selma!
Ingrid. Thanks, my sweet.
Aside: There comes a time when one must go inward; shun some, in order to bring out a new thing into the world. I’m there right now. Getting undone but Enjoying it tremendously. I’m sure you’ll understand. 😉
Forgive if I haven’t reciprocated of late.
Gotta grab it when it comes, right?
Bless you xoxo
Hope you’re ok Selma 🙏
Great take Selma.
Thanks, Sadje. I’ve been on a race with myself. A turtle race, at that. Please forgive that I can’t do more.
The race has me trying to do more before my next birthday. Gosh, slow but what an undoing of self. I’ll visit you more soon. I’m nearing the end. Bless you and all the support to give me, dear Sadje.
Blessings be yours.
Always a pleasure Selma. Don’t worry about visiting. The blog will still be there when you have time
Skillful crafting in this poem.
Hi, Lisa. I appreciate you saying. Thanks. I bless you.