{This poem was written while my father was hospitalized in the North Carolina Mountains. Pebbledash is a building material in which pebbles are inserted into plaster.
Thank you for stopping by and for forgiving my inevitable absence from these pages during this rocky time. }
The rock on which
I found my life;
The spring from which
IÂ drew
Soul’s sustenance;
My dullard knife’s
Own whetstone,
Which could hew
Conundrums, cryptics,
one by one:
No puzzle could
Withstand
The barber-blade
Perfection, wielded
By this humble man.
This boulder–no, this mountain,
Once majestic–
Peakish, fraught.
This well of life, this fountain,
Spilling forth,
Retaining naught;
This structure, layered,
Stone by stone,
The whole,
Minutely planned;
The essence of my being:
My air.
My sky.
My land.
What has attacked
This granite? And
Where runs this stream’s
Next course?
What clouds enshroud
This mountain,
Which succumbs
To their great force?
How can one mourn
A forest fire,
Consuming wood to ash?
I only know my mountain
is reduced
To pebbledash.
Copyright 2019 Andrea LeDew
Great writing!
Thank you orangutan!
never heard of pebbledash – it has a nice sound – and then of course it fit so well here.
In the middle of this poem – which has a heavy (stone kinda weight) tone with the analogy – but also beautiful and deep –
well this breaks it up for the reader:
My air.
My sky.
My land.
gives us a pause (maybe a breath)
and then the second stanza is upon us
enjoyed it very much
and hope he is healing or doing well
Thank you prior for such a close reading, and for your good wishes.
He is doing well for someone in his position, and we are grateful for that, but we’re not out of the woods yet. Hence my silence on Pegman and Friday Fictioneers. ?. Send my regards!
This place (Blue Ridge Mountains,NC) is so dominated by the landscape, beautiful but harsh in its own way, that it’s no wonder that stone wound its way into my poem.
I love the word pebbledash too. Hope I used it more or less correctly. ?
ugh – sorry you are not out of the woods yet – seeing up a prayer
and if you pass through Richmond, Virginia on the way back – please do send me an email and I will make a really good lunch – or treat to a tasty meal out somewhere – just keep that idea on the burner – because NC is close and not sure if you pass thru