There is a sound
Behind words
A voice
And some peoples voices wear elaborate masks
They are hard on the soul
I scrub hand to face
Hair
Heart
Trying to erase their scald.
Others though, tumble cheerily out
They sound exactly as they are
Blessings.
And it doesn’t matter if their words are said or sung or written
It’s all exactly the same rhythm
Authentic.
Long after they are gone
Their words will find a home
In the quirks of my cheek,
softening my heart beat
when I hear them
*I read some old cards the other day. An aunt had sent me a long newsy missive long ago. The lilt and tilt and galloping along of her mind was caught and held within the loopy and loose, difficult to decipher scrawl.
“How lovely” I thought, that is just pure Aunty Pen. I could hear her voice through her words. And it struck me. Our words have a voice almost as clear as a verbal note.
And I thought, I wonder if long after I’m gone my sons could find a post or a poem and hear me in it. Well that’s a nice thought isn’t it?
The header photo I took in a night time dash to fulfil my photo a day streak on Instagram. It’s a rather small thing to get het up about, except that I’m superstitious and I believe my commitment to creative consistency is behind my sudden onset of wonderfully fulfilling inspiration. So I can’t let it slip.
It’s two ambulance officers waiting for their Chinese takeaway (next shop on, not in frame).
It’s not mind blowing art, but the ISO range is impressive on this sensor. Particularly since these photos ended up being quite cropped.
I rather wished I hadn’t been in such a rush (and had my pyjama pants on) or I would have spent more time, and got more and better photos – there is always tomorrow night though.
A couple more, I should have stood very very still. Don’t think I did. Too much of a rush as usual. 🙄
Have a fantasic day and I hope your soul is so on fire with inspiration that it is a warmth in your chest. If not – start a photo streak, they are excellent fun.
“Hearing” words. This is very close to my thesis I was working on when I received my MA in literature. It’s nice to read someone else’s take on it. Excellent post!
Thankyou Ahzio. I would have liked to read your thesis to get your take on it. I’m still thinking about it actually. The ghosts of the throat.
Love your expressive and unique use of language, Kate.
“In the quirks of my cheek, / softening my heartbeat”
A nostalgic and sentimental poem that evoked strong emotion. 💓
Thanks Michelle, I write the way I speak and rapidly so perhaps it’s just my voice behind the words X
Authentic voice! ✨ X
I like that you like bowsers: I have never heard anyone say that before; I like bowsers too, though I have yet to write about them, I see this as an ode to ‘voice; ; that quality that distinguishes our voices from others; most easily in singers, like Satchmo, Elvis, Johhny Cash, Tom Waits but in our ‘written voice’ too: we all have it; it’s part of what is called ‘Style’; I’ve tried writing about it but it’s difficult to put in words:
I presume you are using a decent camera to get these photo’s.
My daughter has a canon D600 buried somewhere in her room. Perhaps I can encourage her to use it again!
I invested in a second hand Leica Q2 monochrome. It has a unique monochrome only sensor which gives me higher iso capabilities. But your daughter using a D600 with a tripod would be able to capture something similar for sure …or you would – photography is a great companion to writers.
My Sami mentor used to refer to what he called “the other conversation” (emphasis on “other”) by which he meant the energetic/telepathic “vibe” we all unwittingly are communicating with all the time. I love “Their words will find a home/In the quirks of my cheek”!
And right away, I tied in the first photo (great!) with the idea of silent conversation. If it had been just any two people, it wouldn’t have worked for me. But they are paramedics, waiting for takeout after we can only imagine what kind of night — and we CAN imagine, and we can ponder what it might be like for them, feeling the same emotions and not needing to share them in words. It all came together for me, anyway. I like the photo of the cleaner, too. I find it stark in a way that’s poignant.
You get it all Camilla. Monochrome holds poetry well. It seems to cut to the body language or stance and mood. I love it for all genres from portrait to nature.
A very good poem on remembering someone after losing them…. I wonder too will i remember my parents, will i remember their voices? their flaws, their good qualities? or will it all be hidden behind the grief il have of losing them?
I think the grief slowly lifts and the the memories arise
Sentimental and so well crafted of nostalgic memories so beautifully expressed Kate💗