Rose & Briar Study #2

This is the second Rose & Briar study. Again, it’s a purely metrical poem in which each line is broken to emphasize certain words or phrases, or thoughts and feelings. A very mannered and conceited work indeed. My ear, by the way, hears perfect iambic flow until L24. That substitution is deliberate to emphasize the word and sentiment there.

The Lake

She dozes
in her rocking chair
between the news
and weatherman,
and dreams—
of summers at the lake.
Her long-late
husband loved to plan
his weekends there
with her as if
his work week was some sleep
he slept
to glimpse their lakeside
reverie—
his laugh would sound so deep
he wept.
And now she feels the water
rise
above her head—
she’s passing down
so slow. Surprised
she still can breathe,
she finds
the air livelier than
the one she’s breathed
these years alone—
she’s so familiar with
that undertone!

This poem is based somewhat on family history, both present and past. But I won’t expand on that except to say I have never written a poem this deliberately personal in this manner. If it veers to the sentimental, well so be it. That’s some of the purpose of the study after all.