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This is the Story
by Kristina WoodhillI want you to remember
This story
I want you to feel every bit of joyous pain
Its heaven hell
Glory
This is the important stuff meant to move
Mountains, prayers that move mountains;
This is the telescope looking out from both
In'ds, eyes extending human gains
This is the book of Earth
The book of long armed looks
The book of deep bets, deep digs,
The gold-copper almighty, shiny sharp hook
Listen, listen
Listen to the story
Every mole fled the rumbling rock talk
Every worm kept its shallow, slick depth
Every snake slid for cover within its own skin
No temptation downward, sucked up tightly each breath;
Lost to the rumbling deep, 33 precious gems
Sparkling, care fully faceting, faceting
Lighting up a child's eye, blazing in a lover's eye
33 gems in solid heart settings
This, this
This is the story
Hold on to any column, all greased;
Let go all illusions, daylight e-rased
Search for magic mirrors, shattered
The exit from this fun house, splintered and scattered
Counting begins-dark days, infinity creeps-black nights
Draping like a heavy scarf, twisting, slowly knots;
Numbers take on faces, hollow-eyed spaces,
Candles on a cake where the matches get dropped
Listen, listen
Listen to the story
This is the book of Earth
The book cries out, "milagro!"
Bridges spanning oceans,
Waves of kings and drones,
Todo el mundo, completamente juntos,
Humanity rebounding, rain clouds swept aside;
Found is a way to give, found is a will to live,
Moon and sunshine sky sway, as Earth regains its pride.
This is salvation
The salvation story
And looking up, there! we saw an angel descending
A silver shaft of light surrounding furled wings
Swallowing us all in a glorious re-birthing
Each one lifted, hearts ballooned on long strings
Counting up
One by one by one
Noah would have loved this ark
Noah would have loaned his dove
This is the important stuff meant to move
Mountains, prayers that move mountains;
This is the telescope looking out from both
In'ds, eyes extending human gains
I want you
To remember
This story
10/14/2010
Author's Note: Because this event was so very long and dramatic, I began to wonder how it would be remembered. I began to compare it to great mythic events of the ancients, or events in certain holy books taken as literal by some. I want to look at this poem and others about this event in 25 years and read how it was portrayed, what seemed to catch people's interest the most, if it grows in its mythology, and if I personally will still feel the immense excitement and satisfaction with humanity I do at this moment.
Posted on 10/14/2010
Copyright © 2024 Kristina Woodhill
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Steve Michaels on 10/14/10 at 07:24 PM I agree with Jon - this poem held onto me tightly for read. I especially like these lines:
"Every mole fled the rumbling rock talk
Every worm kept its shallow, slick depth
Every snake slid for cover within its own skin
No temptation downward, sucked up tightly each breath;" |
| Posted by Charles E Minshall on 10/14/10 at 09:13 PM Very well done Kris.....CharMin |
| Posted by V. Blake on 10/14/10 at 10:08 PM Wow Kris. Shame ya turned off ratings--if ever a poem belonged in the top ten, this was surely it. |
| Posted by George Hoerner on 10/15/10 at 12:26 AM A very nice write lady and I hope as you ask that it be remembered. All I know is that the news has a way of being forgotten, not totally but it gets lost amongst all the new stories. Things like JFK, Oklahoma bombing, etc aren't forgotten just shoved to the back of our mind. We need to keep digging through our minds history to keep certain stories in the forefront of our mind so that some things don't happen again and again and that the good things keep being repeated, over and over and over... |
| Posted by David Hill on 10/15/10 at 01:30 AM That empathy that calls us to action can be a beautiful thing. I like all the little refrains of "story," and the inspiring words and images you have chosen. |
| Posted by Glenn Currier on 10/15/10 at 11:42 PM Well, I read this aloud and with as much drama as I could put in my voice and I actually got goose-bumps. You capture so much of the humanity and the earth and give us a gleaming gem for the time capsule. Thanks Kristina. |
| Posted by Jo Halliday on 10/16/10 at 04:07 PM Exquisite. You always employ language so beautifully, so effectively: and there's always so much lyricality. I love the structure of this poem a lot. |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 10/19/10 at 11:38 AM You've expressed the experience of the miners in Chile most eloquently! A classic! |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 01/02/11 at 08:58 PM A great way to remember this momentous day for all mankind! Says in simple terms, where there is life (with prayer and discipline), there is hope. |
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