My Corner of the World
The bottom of the ocean is a field
Green, then yellow. Gold, then brown.
Once this ocean was brown with bison
Prairie grass bends with the wind
So dry it’s hard to imagine it was once ocean
So much space a person can feel small
Or exactly person-sized
Strangely grounded, swimming in an ocean of grass
Photo CC-By Jerry and Pat Donaho at Flickr.com
Today’s Slice was inspired by Leigh Anne’s My Corner of the World, which was inspired by Julieanne’s Found Poetry at Catalina. “The bottom of the ocean” is directly borrowed from Julieanne’s poem, and I returned several times to her piece for inspiration as I wrote my poem about western South Dakota.
So glad you shared your poem. I am ready to plan a trip and see it for myself.
It’s an amazing place to visit–so many interesting things to see and do!
Love the poem, and I also love how you shared your process. The repetition works really well!
Thanks, Melanie. I’m really enjoying the process notes at some of the NaPoWriMo sites, so I thought I’d share a bit too.
“swimming in an ocean of grass” …what a perfect image.
So glad you added an image to match your precise words!
I live in Virginia, a totally different terrane. So fun to get a glimpse of your part of the world today with your slice! Thanks for sharing.
I love the contraction of “Strangely grounded, swimming in an ocean of grass”, Elisabeth. It is a beautiful place, and I also love the allusion to the bison.
Another beautiful corner of the world! I really think I need to go back and make mine into a real poem! It was just a series of rambling thoughts. This line “So much space a person can feel small,” reminds me of the song Wide Open Spaces by the Dixie Chicks.
My favorite line: “Strangely grounded, swimming in an ocean of grass”
So inspiring to have fueled your thoughts and words. Something worth continuing….
“Or exactly person-sized” This line, in the context you’ve used it, accentuates the small. Love it, and the poem! My students and I are also participating in the #NaPoWriMo challenge. 🙂
Just so very gorgeous. I love the part about “exactly person sized”
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Elisabeth.
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I loved reading this. You have reminded me how beautiful each corner of the world is and that each moment of time is layered in history. Sigh…