PoetryPix
depictions by the rule of thirds; descriptions mostly freestyle words
the apprentice
after the one momentous breath
a steady breeze swelled the vocal folds
’til the word was made more tangible than tongue
blunted and clay-cut to tally sheep and goats
wars and kingdom comes
much later, scripted and baptised in inky fonts
fluency flowed
and yet what waste are words as works of hand
when fished from lexiconic lakes
streamed in babble and labelled
leading edge, la mot à la mode
the emperor wears robes of Phoenician purple
crushed from mollusc multitudes
– naked, he’s just an Adam from the birthing factory
I’m content to be apprentice, student of the pitfalls
ciphering the syllables one key stroke at a time
learning to scrawl
I missed Sumana’s Midweek Motif: Word so am linking up to the Poetry Pantry
Postscript: For my photo challenge this Sunday, I came across Robert Francis’ – Glass Poem which gives such clarity to the word in poetry.
37 Comments on “the apprentice”
MY OTHER BLOG
I adore your words….they leave me breathless as I fill my hunger….you play with them, challenge them and then defeat me as I turn to a dictionary to release my angst….always leaving me wanting more of them. This is a perfect example as you take me on a trip through the history of our words/language…if you are a mere apprentice my friend, I have yet to barely utter.
LikeLike
am glowing in a whirlwind after your wonderful words – many thank yous Donna
LikeLike
I love your being content to be an apprentice. Me too.
LikeLike
humbling eh Sherry?!
LikeLike
“I’m content to be apprentice”, there is wisdom in these words. Life is a journey of learning.
LikeLike
true Truedessa!
LikeLike
Regally hued from the rarest dyes – all we can do is offer our own simple words as we progress through the art of wordsmithing.
LikeLike
Nice way of putting it Rommy – thank you
LikeLike
“and yet what waste are words as works of hand when fished from lexiconic lakes” ..gosh such beautiful use of language here!😍💖
LikeLike
Wary of being a wordmonger here
LikeLike
Anyone who loves writing knows that apprenticeship is all we qualify for. “Learning to scrawl” is lifelong work! And how many fine poems as this pave the way.
LikeLike
At least we can enjoy the journey Brendan
LikeLike
I think that being an apprentice is the best we can be… the opposite to me is to be fixed, a master of writing nothing… love this.
LikeLike
It is reassuring to have limitations and know where and what they are – appreciate your words Björn
LikeLike
Beautifully penned. I have never thought this way about being an apprentice; and indeed it really works and expresses an idea in a very unique way.
LikeLike
Many thanks Mary – Better than novice because the apprentice is committed!
LikeLike
We are all apprentices and never stop learning. This is true of all professions for we must not remain static but experiment all the time ever seeking perfection.
LikeLike
the experimental bit helps our creativity though I do not like to stray too far from fundamentals
LikeLike
I’m content to be apprentice, student of the pitfalls
ciphering the syllables one key stroke at a time
learning to scrawl
Learning can be fun. Agreed, Laura. It should not be too long in some situations, though!
Hank
LikeLike
used to be 7 years before a Journeyman
LikeLike
For us I believe “la mot à la mode” is “C’est notre vie”.
Marcher joyeusement 🙂
ZQ
LikeLike
merci ZQ – though my favourite poetry is more marcher tristement
LikeLike
: ( Pourquoi ?
LikeLike
parce que… 🙂
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
I love how you write of being the eternal learner. This is beautifully penned and I do know I will never be more than an apprentice. Such an honor.
LikeLike
in Tai Chi the aim of the master is to be as open and free as the novice so there is something we lose when attaining levels
LikeLike
being the apprentice ..yes absolutely! beautifully said….
LikeLike
thank you for your words 🙂
LikeLike
Mesmerising wonderful words Laura – thank you.
Anna :o]
LikeLike
and thank you too Anna for not being hypercritical
LikeLike
What a wonderful ars poetica piece! And I am crazy about Robert Francis’s poem too – I have always thought EXACTLY that about what good writing should be! Thank you so much on both counts.
LikeLike
I really appreciate your encouragement Rosemary. Francis’ poem was sheer synchronicity having just finished this and looking for some verse to match my glass photo –
LikeLike
I love that line, “– naked, he’s just an Adam from the birthing factory” so pertinent and easy to forget how tied we are to our pasts.
LikeLike
belated thanks Brenda (family illness has absorbed most of my time) – was not quite happy with that line but then ‘the past is a foreign country’!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope your family recovers.
LikeLike
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person