Scarecrow Considers the Afterlife
Gathering threads, I join them with a central
knot, producing a sunburst flower or constellation
of ley lines spreading forth and connecting their
tenuous truths – megalith to fjord, solstice to
dodmen and feng shui, suppositions entwined
and spat out. And who’s to say which alignment
stands taller than the next, which rut, which energy,
defines our direction? When I cease to be, will I
remain or dissipate, return in another form or
explode and scatter throughout the universe, the
residue of me sizzling along the starways for eternity
or perhaps just the next twenty minutes. It is clear
that I possess no heart, no internal organs. My spine
is lattice, my skin, fabricated from jute. Eviscerate
me and straw will tumble out. I do not bleed. Yet
the crows consult me in secret and conduct their
daily mercies, and I think and dance and dream
and wonder and hope. Oh, what I hope.
* * *
This was first published at Eclectica, with two companion pieces.
I really like this, Robert. This are my favorite lines: Yet
the crows consult me in secret and conduct their
daily mercies, and I think and dance and dream
and wonder and hope. Oh, what I hope.
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Thank you, Merrill. I, too, hope!
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*these are Trying to do too many things at once. . .
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Ha! I know that feeling well.
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🙂
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Lovely. Full of the tenuous, bittersweet hope we all tuck into our hearts. ❤️
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Thank you, Carrie. Scarecrow understand the bittersweet all too well.
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Part of the sweet is the spokesman he has found.
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I truly enjoyed this!
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Thank you very much!
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Lovely reading for my morning. Thank you.
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Thank you, Judy. Much appreciated.
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Those last four words are so powerful
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We must retain our hope!
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Yes
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No way to better draw someone in than a good title – I like it!
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Thanks, Matt. Glad you liked it.
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Love this. 🙂
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Thank you, Anthony.
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i remember this. The squeezing of time from Scarecrows perspective “the / residue of me sizzling along the starways for eternity / or perhaps just the next twenty minutes” has that dissipating feel, i can’t rightly remember now, but i picked up on it in another of your poems recently, the dissolution of things, i suppose an inversion of your matter reforming.
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Well, we are rather impermanent creatures…
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Not if we stuff our heads with straw
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Even then!
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Catch fire easily i guess. haha
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Or worse.
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God forbid.
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Really lovely 🙂
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Thank you!
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Who knew a scarecrow could be so wise 🙂 A wonderful perspective full of human emotion.
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Ignore scarecrows at your own peril! 🙂
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LOL!
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“Eviscerate me and ___ will tumble out.” A question for anyone, in an ice-breaking game whose likes I’m sure I’ve never participated in (thus far) and yet would very much like to see the results of.
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“hope that when my consorts fly they bring threads of my truth and”
First time playing as well…:/
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Now that would truly be interesting!
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The imagery in this left me feeling content and hopeful. Doesn’t sound like much praise but I rarely get there, thank you Rob!
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I’m pleased it resonates for you. Thank you.
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I really love this one – my new favorite Scarecrow poem! 🙂
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Thank you, Betty!
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Your scarecrow seems to know more about the afterlife than we do, and I Wonder and I dream…. I actually wrote a poem called “Afterlife”, years ago now, life and afterwife……
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He wonders and dreams perhaps more than the rest of us.
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Spectacular. Some many excellent word choices here, words that looks good and feel good to say (like “megalith” and “fjord” and “jute” and “dissapate.” I also love ” Yet/the crows consult me in secret and conduct their/daily mercies…” The spirit was certainly moving through you with this one. So nice to read fine poetry first thing in the morning. : )
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Thanks, Robert. When the spirit moves, I just hang on and go with it. 🙂
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I am fascinated with your scarecrow series. So much life in a life-less thing
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Thanks, P.S. Scarecrow has become a good vehicle for observation and commentary.
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