A New Constellation

The NaPoWriMo prompt at Read Write Poem asked us to open a few different poetry books, choose some lines and work them into a poem.  I selected lines ( in italics) from the works of Mary Oliver, Rainier Maria Rilke, Pablo Neruda, Paulann Petersen, and Sharon Olds (more detailed citations below).  This piece is also inspired by the prompt on “work” at Poetic Asides.

A New Constellation

This morning the green fists of the peonies
are getting ready
to break my heart.

Again.

Perhaps it’s to untangle
daily creation,
that I order seeds and bulbs,
tubers and trees,
to begin a new constellation,
another round
of planting,
watering, weeding
worrying, harvesting,
eating.

Walla Wallas and Cipolinis -
When the kitchen knife cuts you,
there will arise the only tear
without sorrow.

Why does my blood run
so easy and warm?

There will be sorrow.
For the cherry tree
refusing to bud.
For the potato
eaten by gophers
or the one rotted
by blight.

And there will be frost
to sweeten apples,
gild aspens,
but also
to wilt basil,
and freeze
watermelons.

But still, I will
receive
and tend you.
Do what you are
going to do
and I will tell about it.

___________________________

“This morning the green fists…” From “Peony” by Mary Oliver

“To untangle daily creation, which all differently endure, we make ourselves a constellation, out of the known figure…” From  “Magic” by Rainier Maria Rilke in On Love and Other Difficulties.

“When the kitchen knife…” From “Ode to an Onion” by Pablo Neruda.

“Why does my blood run…” From “Miracle” by Paulann Petersen.

“Do what you are going to do…” from “I Go Back to May 1937″ by Sharon Olds.

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