Thursday 19 August 2010

Welcome to Moondustwriter Thursday

The Path of the Discarded
A Poem by
Moondustwriter


She was on a quest
It wasn't far
nor arduous
Though some may have thought her the fool
She was on a quest to regain her heart
It had been stolen long ago
*
By a knight who neither wanted nor cared
about the love of a sweet maiden fair
Like a tarnished
worthless trophy
he cast it aside
when he found another
along the pathway of life
*
The heartless knight
left a trail of used, unwanted hearts
She discovered them on her way
Too many to carry
Some swept away
She wept for them
Touched each one tenderly
with a tear
*
Many were still beating
"Oh dear
what must I do?"
She asked of no one there
The response was clear
"Save what is left"
*
She went
purposefully on her way
careful to stay
on the path of the discarded
She scooped them
tenderly into her skirt
*
Her quest became long
more difficult
she wasn't that strong
The hearts became heavy to bear
one day she would find each maiden
whose heart had been taken
restore what remained
*
One morning she awoke with a song
She sang it for all of nature to hear
It was beautiful and painfully clear
It told of a love that had been stolen one day
Hurt, once there, had been rolled away
*
She didn't see nor did she hear
Someone quick approaching
So silent
She heard nothing draw near
She stood plainly
her skirt billowed like a standard
Hands encircled
 many hearts he saw there
*
He beamed down on this rare beauty
 intent on loving others
She had been his quest for so long now
Had met many careless
tiresome young things
along the pathway of searching
*
He scooped her in his arms
Her heavy burdens and all
Her broken heart
there was no trace
A star-like smile
beamed on each face
***
He aided her
in her quest
to return each
faint
broken heart
He replaced hers
with something more lasting
Devoted love 
Forever




I was inspired to write this piece based on a picture prompt of a knight I wrote about earlier. The romantic in me took over.
My question for the week: What part does a visual image play as you are writing?
Thanks for joining Moondustwriter Thursday. I'm looking forward to highlighting more poets in the weeks to come.

Thank you to Reza for the photograph
http://www.flickr.com/photos/r-z/24434403711*


16 comments:

One Stop - The Place For Poets, Writers and Artists said...

One Shot Wednesday was wonderful thanks to everyone. Hope you enjoy
Moondustwriter Thursday

Answer to my own question - I am an artist so visuals make my mind go all over the place. Poetry can do that in the reverse. When I read a piece, I want to create a visual rendition.

Marshy said...

you know i love knights and arthurian tales..and i loved reading this as she journeyed on her quest..nicely written your old romantic!!!!

good question..i have only ever written one poem prompted by a visual aid and that was for last weeks One Shoot Sunday with the poem Eye, Eye Capn...i just write and then search for an image that i feel suits the piece

Claudia said...

knights for sure give food for a romantic poem - and lots of heartbreaks...just had to think of "the first knight" with Richard Gere....sigh
what i love in your poem is her caring for others spirit..reminds me of my eldest daughter...

what part does a visual image play in my writing? i think i always have an image in my mind when writing - visible or invisible..

Fireblossom said...

Her knight finally came! Huzzah!

This piece is just a delight, I really enjoyed reading it.

As for me, I try to find the perfect picture to go with each post I make. Sometimes I find the picture first, and I use it as an inspiration. I try to find the "soul" of it, rather than the obvious thing.

Hoping all is well on the moon ;-)

FB

Bubba said...

What a wonderfully romantic read, Moondustwriter!

To answer your question, often a sight will inspire me to write. I take lots of pictures and have frequently written things based upon something I've photographed.

I think there's a 'vision' for almost anything I write, but many of them are just my memories.

Brian Miller said...

that is what i exect from the moon though...smiles. wonderful...i grew up on tales of knights and swords and saving fair maidens...ah...

i seldom use a picture...i try to use my words to create one...

dustus said...

Well told tale in poetic lines, moon. Along with the great title and pic, I like the part where the question and answer occurs. Think that adds another layer to your poem...
Q: What part does a visual image play as you are writing? Sometimes I treat it as the centerpiece if it's an image I find interesting. cheers

juanofwords said...

Visuals and Visualization are such an important part of my writing. A lot of times I am literally sitting in front of my computer reliving experiences detail by detail, or imagining them into reality. Looking at old pictures such a great tool for me.

Loved the poem as always - very heartfelt. You rock Leslie!

Kavita said...

Awww.. this gave me goosebumps in the end... AS I was reading, I was wondering what would happen next...and the end was just perfect..
The moral is: If your heart is full of love, then you will be loved too - maybe not by the same person, but definitely by someone who loves you even more..
I am very happy for the other wounded hearts - they found a caring soul - actually TWO caring souls...

A beautiful poem, Moon... awesome!

Beachanny said...

I have to have a hook, or an approach but I think first I must have an image. Then I have to start. Endings for me come right away. I usually know where I'm headed. It's the starts that are difficult. Finding that hook, that beginning..so tricky.

Really liked this poem. The imagery was powerful and pleasing. Not sure I didn't finish still thinking the knight was a jerk. Somewhere in the back of my mind playing, "What's it all about Alfie?" But it isn't rare that a rake and a ramblin' lad is tamed.
Kudos. Gay

PattiKen said...

I love that your poem tells a story. But, I don't know, call me a cynic. Given the trail of broken hearts he left behind, including her own, I think she should think twice about giving him another chance. How long before another catches his fancy, and he considers her "tiresome"?

I'm a very visual person, so images are a big part of the creative process for me. Sometimes, I see an image that sends my imagination off on a twirl. Other times it's a mental image that does it, and I find a real one later. The latter can be very frustrating, because often there just is no image that captures what I saw in my head.

buttercup600.wordpress.com said...

Awww.. I had goosebumps reading this...it kept me wondering what will happen next.....and then the end!!! Soooo romantic. Loved it Moon!!

One Stop - The Place For Poets, Writers and Artists said...

Better clarify.
There are two men in this story and lots of women. Each woman had a broken heart. There is the knight (who should have been de-knighted) and a simple man (with a knight's heart)

Girls often dream of knights but it is the shining heart they desire the most.

TALON said...

I love that she treated the other hearts with such care. I'm glad she found someone who could love her the way she deserved.

Sheila said...

A touching love story of both romantic love and the love we have for those whose pain we know, even if we don't actually know them.

I tend to write without random visual prompts, except for the ones provided by some writing blogs. My natural visual prompts come from memories in my own mind and observations of the physical world around me vs. 2D photos. Great question. I never thought about this before.

G-Man said...

MoonDustWriter...
Beautiful Romantic Timeless....
Thank You...G