Twigs and Leaves
Songs of the Solitary Sentinel
The living word of storytelling, and the sharing of humor and wisdom are captured in this collection of poetry by e.o.bryce. Presented in windows on phases of a life journey in lifting rhythms, e.o.bryce explores the condition of life and the passing of our lives from one experiential phase of congruency to another.
Commentary
Poetry is hard to pin down.We think we know it when we see it, but struggle when we try to define it.
"Songs" are obviously not prose. For one thing, they are musically rhythmical, Mountain Sailor,is a song in 2/4 time. Think of the first two syllables ("On . . . A")as the "pickup" to a "downbeat" -- ("greygloom"). The last line is in triple time.
The pieces in this section celebrate the outlier, the solitary individual coping patiently, proudly, unapologetically with its environment. They were written during stressful times in my life when I felt abandoned and alone, trying to deal bravely in the face of adversity. Today, I see a younger version of myself marshalling my powers of detachment (the sentinel), to fill my soul with optimistic songs of survival.
Mountain Sailor
On . . .
A greygloom day in Autumn,
Draped . .
In drippy, drizzly rain,
I see a crowd of greengrey pine trees
Glooming round a lone gold maple.
Just . . .
A sailor, gold in oilskins,
Adrift on a greengloom sea,
Patiently . . .
Awaiting . . .
The Northerly bluster of Winter.