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Bone Clatter
by Kristina Woodhill
Heart knows why bones are left behind
when oxygen leaves the room in a huff
Bones commence their clatter not to reclaim their skin,
tease it back on with some catchy drum cadence
nor to recover that corpus now down under
knocking on Legend's door
bones chatter loudly to announce
a heart passing its electric vibe
its thump, thump, thumping baton
offered to lazy winds
initiate of the diligent dirge
audibly marching
gaining in tone, bone on bone
knuckling down
each bone stick disconnecting
from that old Dem Bones' ditty
out of joint
out of body
considerate metered dirge
breathlessly adrift,
discarding ghost notes
discovering its street beat
wandering dog jumps
when bird beaks meet a shed's metal roof
with their own answering paradiddles
squirrels scatter
as phalanges riff off of tree trunks
freed heart beat
kissing air waves
sounding out open space
pounding on outer cosmos's door
echoing off heavy clouds
seeking its own thunder
11/04/2018 Author's Note: A nod to Dia de los Muertos
Posted on 11/04/2018
Copyright © 2025 Kristina Woodhill
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 11/04/18 at 03:56 AM No bones to pick with this gem, Kris. Really enjoyed it for its construction, message(s)...imagery. |
| Posted by Glenn Currier on 12/07/18 at 02:35 PM I never could decide if this "dia" and all the cultural moss and art of it were thumbing their collective noses at death or if it was celebrating it. Maybe a little of both. Your poem takes several steps toward helping me make peace with both options. Then I went to YouTube to find out just what paradiddles are. That was an education in itself, just as your poems often are for me. But strangely paradiddles became the key to unlocking this piece for me. As always, Kristina, I am in awe of your gift, intelligence, and the breadth of life experience expressed in your work. Thank you so much. |
| Posted by Rob Littler on 12/28/18 at 09:51 PM ::::::::::::::::sigh::::::::::::::::::::
its thump, thump, thumping baton
offered to lazy winds
initiate of the diligent dirge
audibly marching |
| Posted by Rob Littler on 12/28/18 at 10:01 PM ...try listening to Echo's Rose, by Elephant Revival when reading this. da-la di-di da-la-da-la di-di... the Live at the Boulder Theatre one, btw. the track after that is Sing to the Mountain... which I know you can appreciate.
All I know is that the day of the dead is a day for each of us... chew on that Now&Later, orange. |
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