Saturday, November 13, 2010

Sepia Saturday Meets the Poetry Bus - Free!

Covered bridge - Shelburne Falls Massachusetts 1967


Muse Swings in "Burn Notice" albeit slanty sunglasses is posing here. Cousin Diane Candela is leaning (not such a good idea) on the side of this lovely covered bridge. The picture taker is our host for the week, Madelyn LeMay.

As I was preparing my post for the Poetry Bus I realized these pictures are so freakin' old I might as well blend them in with my Sepia Saturday post.

Our Poetry Bus assignment per this week's host, Karen of Keeping Secrets:
The challenge for passengers this week will be to write about one of the following:
(1) a time you had to choose between two clearly divergent paths; (2) a time you were called to walk a path you didn't choose for yourself; or (3) a time you refused to travel the path you were called to follow. If these won't work for you, write anything about a choice you made. Drop me a note here when your poem is ready, and I'll link on the sidebar.

In the words of that great word person Yogi Berra, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."


This assignment brought to mind my 1967 trip to Shelburne Falls (I was 22, okay? Fine!),

and a literal path of discovery - with pictures to boot!


Free


Beyond the creaky covered bridge

that still echoes of dank footfalls in my mind

confetti leaves crackle

beneath my feet

eyes rise to cornflower blue jays

that fly like bits of

sky between arched branches


warmth from filtered sun mosaics play

upon my face and

just here I find a tiny trace that cuts

between the trees


no city curbs

sidewalks

white lines or flashing signs

say I may or may not walk here

so I do

follow the mossy winding path

hear mixed octaves of a tiny brook and bend

to the cold bright skittering surface


city fingers touch

and taste sweet water

that runs free

and free

and free



Cynthia Ann Conciatu 11/12/10


>>><<<



City Girl meets country water- free of pipes, free of chemicals and free of charge - Shelburne Falls



Sepia Saturday:

An aMUSEing City Girl with "Twiggy" hairstyle in fetching Pendelton Pea Coat, cable-knit fisherman's sweater, cranberry wool slacks and penny loafers - sans pennies - arrives in Shelburne Falls, MA, to eat more oysters and fried clams than she has ever seen in one place before. She discovers delicious Indian Pudding and finds out that cranberries don't grow in bags.

Her travels take her to a Vermont Maple Sugar farm, the Atlantic Ocean, The House of the Seven Gables, Plymouth Rock , the artist colony of Newport, the hairpin curves of the Mohawk trail and discovery trips into the woods and antique shops of the countryside.

Moments after the above picture is taken two German shephards come running and barking up the hill. City Girl's choice of remaining as stock still as an urban fire hydrant work. The dogs find her to be far too stylish and boring. After a few sniffs of Faberege's Tigress eau de cologne they dash off to find something far more interesting to harass. Like a cow.

Thanks for stopping by my two-fer post!

My Indian Pudding recipe is HERE,

More Sepia Saturday can be found HERE

and the Poetry Bus stop is HERE

and don't forget to buy cranberries for turkey day! They grow in a bog - not a bag.

22 comments:

Karen said...

What a lovely walk - a lovely path. Your words and images are beautiful.

izzy said...

Very nice! love that bridge- haven't been over that way in several years. Back in 67 I was down just south of you
in Williamsburg, with my brother tearing apart a very old center cape (1721 as best we can figure) I think this is a lovely two-fer ! Happy memories-

Unknown said...

That is a lot to "digest." in your combo presentation... "Confetti leaves cackle", I like that...how about that hairdo?

Nancy said...

This post sure brings back memories, not of location, but of time period. The clothes look so familiar.

Rachel Fox said...

A poem that perfectly matches its title.
I was born in '67!
x

Unknown said...

What is it about the Covered bridge? We just can't help but pass through.

Christine H. said...

I love the photos and the combo poetry bus sepia Saturday. Unfortunately, the mention of Indian pudding, cranberries and especially oysters has me very hungry.

Peter Goulding said...

I have one major gripe in the poem above and that's the word 'dappled' which I hate. However, that's my problem, not yours. Otherwise its really very good, love the jays like bits of sky line.

Helen said...

Sounds like a very nice place to be.

Marilyn & Jeff said...

I enjoyed this post and loved your photos.

Alan Burnett said...

I always like these two-fer posts and the way they join up thoughts and moods. Great poem, great sepia.

Kat Mortensen said...

Nice one, Cynthia! I loved the "mixed octaves" of the brook and the "and free" repetition at the end.

Those are classic shots - Kind of a Bridges of Shelburne County idea, eh?


Kat

MuseSwings said...

I re-wrote the "dappled" line. I don't like the word either. Used mosaic instead.

Enchanted Oak said...

Good poem, Muse. Strong.
Thank you for the reveries.

Louise said...

A poem to read over and over. Loved the language in it, and didnt mind the dappled.

Peter Goulding said...

Ah Cynthia, just because I don't like dappled doesn't mean you shouldn't use it. I'm certainly not knowledgeable in the world of poetry (though I do believe dappled has become a cliche)

Blicky Kitty said...

Free...
and freee
and freeeeee!!!!!

I love the way you write my dear bloggy friend. Thanks for the inspiration!

Bruno Laliberté said...

as i'm quite urban myself, the country is foreign to me and holds plenty of mysteries. you should write a thank you note to Faberge for having saved your life/dignity that day...
:)~
HUGZ

NatureFootstep said...

I like that bridge you show us. :)

Dick said...

There's some delightful imagery in this and the overall sense of the randomness of rural routes comes across to great effect.

Totalfeckineejit said...

Beautiful poem , many lovely lines, I particulary wastaken with...

'confetti leaves crackle

beneath my feet

eyes rise to cornflower blue jays

that fly like bits of

sky between arched branches'

Great photo too. Why did they cover the bridges?

tony said...

Twiggy Rules! Lovely Photos. I spent a wonderful week in Massachusetts a few years back.living on Campus as a guest at Mount Holyoke College.Maybe next time i visit I will take a trip to The Falls.
Regards
Tony.