.
.
When we see
snow flocked trees,
a soaring hawk
and winter greens
we seize the beauty
and set it free:
catch and release.
.
.
© 2017 Betty Hayes Albright
.
(True of all artists, photographers, writers, sculptors, painters, musicians. 🙂 )
What Poets Do
December 16, 2017 by Betty Hayes Albright
46 Responses
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What about the hardships of the hawk?
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Good point! The poem is about the beauty of nature, but I know nature is sadly under attack right now and have written about that in other poems. Enough can’t be said though and I’m glad for those like you who care. Thank you, Daniel, I appreciate your comment!
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There is that, but it isn’t just our attack i am raising, it is the life within nature itself. For all his dubious beahviour to women, Ted Hughes raises some interesting points about the difficulties of nature without our interference. Though the hawk is a predator, it still has the hardship of hunting, of facing the elements, raising young or mating. In the context of our relative comforts, it seems like a miserable existence. They cannot perceive their own beauty.
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Yes, Daniel, life is hard in nature (without human interference). That’s what drives evolution. I’ve also witnessed what can only be sheer joy of a bird playing the wind.
Life is hard for humans too, especially as we get old, sick, and broke. Corporeality is hard, and often unfair and cruel and degenerate. But there is also so much that is beautiful. Thank you, Daniel, for your input.
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i always thought Eliot’s line from the Hollow Men “life is very long” was an odd one, but if you think of the slowing of time due to the wear on the body, on the limits of corporeality making oneself slow with aches & pains, perhaps the line begins to make more sense. i am 32, so i don’t really know that yet, but i’ll surely learn one day.
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Ah, to be 32 again! 🙂 Yes, life is very long from one perspective but at the same time the years fly by very fast. I just turned 71 and don’t know how that could be possible as in my heart I’m still 20. But life has become more difficult and painful. Thus my focus on what is beautiful, and the forces of love which will hopefully change the world for the better someday. It won’t happen in my lifetime but hopefully it will in yours. You’re an articulate writer and a critical thinker – don’t ever stop. The world needs more writers like you, who ask the difficult questions. Wishing you all the best!
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i know a 72yr old here in Korea, a monk, who has much the same feeling as you. i hope i follow suit.
Thanks for the kind words. It is nice to have you efforts confirmed sometimes, i appreciate it.
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Hmm…I would suggest that the hawk has more freedom than the 41 million Americans living in poverty…many homeless with nowhere to flee.
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Yes! Thank you, Charlie – I agree with you.
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Shocking figure that is. i read the report & had to double back to let it sink in that it was the correct figure. A staggering amount of people considering the exorbitant amount of wealth. We have a very visible homeless problem in British cities, but i don’t think it is quite on the same scale.
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Indeed! Charles Martin is one of our most prolific poets on that subject, here on WP. I hope you’ll check out his blog.
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Beautifully penned, Betty!
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Thank you, Eliza! 🙂
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I love this Betty beautifully put. 🌹
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Thank you, Willow! 😍
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🌹🌹🌹
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So much better to catch and release rather than to hold on, or try to hold on, to what was never yours in the first place to own.
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Indeed! Putting something beautiful into words is our attempt to pay it forward and share the joy. 🙂 To multiply it.
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You captured the thought beautifully. I do love reading your poems.
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Thank you, Kim – I love reading yours as well. 🙂
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The last line to my eyes appears to have snow on it, although it works just as beautifully in relation to the words alone. It’s always amazing when the ineffable beauty of snow arrives – it’s just a pity the snow has to come as well.
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Ah, but I like the snow itself. 🙂
(The last line – what is it you see?)
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Only that the extra space between the words suggested snow to me because of the background colour. Probably because in an old poem I once used an unexpected gap between ‘white’ and ‘page’ as a visual pun. It’s just how my mind works. The picture you posted reinforced this notion for me. I only gave it about a 15% probability of being true given that you wisely resist such visual gimmicks.
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Hadn’t thought of that myself but you’re right, it does suggest snow. (You have a sharp eye!) Actually I put the spaces in for emphasis of those three words. (Do you use that phrase in England? It’s supposedly a humane way to fish for “fun”, catching the fish and letting them go. Fishing doesn’t belong in the poem but I liked the phrase.)
Anyway, I’m glad you told me what you saw. Now that you mentioned it, I see snow too! 🙂
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I can’t speak for all my fellow brits but although the phrase is familiar it doesn’t make me think of fishing specifically, but then again I know little about fishing – perhaps that’s why I root for the shark in the Jaws movies.
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Me too. Whenever there’s a conflict between human and nature, I root for the animal or fish or bird or tree too. And the thought of hunting for sport makes me cry.
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This is lovely, Betty. You portray gorgeous imagery…beauty as seen through the eyes of a poet. Sending love and hugs! 💕🎄🎅🤶🎁💕
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Lauren, thank you for that! 🙂 Love and hugs back to you! 🎄🍥😍🎄
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once again wonder woman of the written word Nails it ❤ ❤ ❤
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Aw, thanks Kim! 😊💕
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photo and poem are one
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Yes they are – thank you for your comment!
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Talented photographers do something similar, don’t they? And not all poets are as talented your good self, Betty.
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Yes, photographers definitely! 🙂 (Think I included them below poem.) Thank you for your kind words, Ben.
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Well deserved. 🙂
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😊
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I get the feeling that nothing lasts forever. Maybe we should know when to release what we caught?
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Yes, release (share) the beauty. And maybe it’ll come round again someday. 🙂 Thank you for reading and commenting!
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This is so very special. Succinct and perfect!
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Thank you very much – I appreciate that!
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What you do, is so much more than you realize.
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Thank you, Candice! I appreciate that. 🌼💕
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Haha! Betty, this made me laugh with delight. So well said!
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Glad you liked this, Cynthia! 🙂
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Snow-laden trees always stir a little poem in me. Beautiful poem.
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Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂
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