We experience love, grief, loss, transformation...in no particular order
Marc, this poem is beautiful...so happy that you engaged with the prompt and it took you to this depth:
Your prompt generated this different kind of poem for me:
Renewal in the Waters of Life
9.10.23
By Marc Jacobs
Everything was on an even keel.
Then it happened;
Pierced by it;
Tears quickly filled the vessel;
Too shocked to bale.
Water level rising,
Too heavy to paddle.
Unable to stop the flow
Fear gripped my being
Could this be the end.
Managed to plug a cloth into the hole.
Sat there: I had to do something more.
Dazed memories clouding my vision
The journey could not continue like this,
But shore seemed inexplicably far away.
Time passed.
There I was
Surrounded by salty droplets.
Must act.
Unable.
Eyes trying to focus.
I could see others in the distance.
Not too far away,
But beyond my reach.
Water level renewed by my grief
What to do? Found my unused jug.
Remembered how I used it last time.
Dipped it in the same way.
It filled and I emptied it overboard.
Repeating as water level slowly lessens.
As I worked less time for tears.
Started waving at others.
They drew their boats near,
Reached out and pulled me toward shore.
Progressing with the power of their tow.
Once on solid ground,
They lifted me from my damaged container.
Resting in the sun I and my canoe both dried.
Their circle of loving repair surrounded me,
And I was able to begin safely drifting forward again.
Marc, this poem is beautiful...so happy that you engaged with the prompt and it took you to this depth:
Your prompt generated this different kind of poem for me:
Renewal in the Waters of Life
9.10.23
By Marc Jacobs
Everything was on an even keel.
Then it happened;
Pierced by it;
Tears quickly filled the vessel;
Too shocked to bale.
Water level rising,
Too heavy to paddle.
Unable to stop the flow
Fear gripped my being
Could this be the end.
Managed to plug a cloth into the hole.
Sat there: I had to do something more.
Dazed memories clouding my vision
The journey could not continue like this,
But shore seemed inexplicably far away.
Time passed.
There I was
Surrounded by salty droplets.
Must act.
Unable.
Eyes trying to focus.
I could see others in the distance.
Not too far away,
But beyond my reach.
Water level renewed by my grief
What to do? Found my unused jug.
Remembered how I used it last time.
Dipped it in the same way.
It filled and I emptied it overboard.
Repeating as water level slowly lessens.
As I worked less time for tears.
Started waving at others.
They drew their boats near,
Reached out and pulled me toward shore.
Progressing with the power of their tow.
Once on solid ground,
They lifted me from my damaged container.
Resting in the sun I and my canoe both dried.
Their circle of loving repair surrounded me,
And I was able to begin safely drifting forward again.