A step heard in timidity, bravery:
childlike, slipper soft, sneaking-
house fades like porchlight,
insects incessant hum
rip the night of silence
I stare through broken screens
glimpse life on another side
shadows dance in feathers
and child sways to drums,
ghosts gather at the gate
she brings them in
Sycamore tree, her shade from eyes,
an unseen world, pretending
the river offers up, to play
she paints her face
the ochre of the ground and teal of the sky,
in native dimples she sits,
the lap of the medicine man
telling tales
and I only see the flames,
her ringlet smile
while Geronimo casts his voice down
the house would crush her dreams,
gentle spiritcatcher holds firm
with rag tag bear she drags,
a wolf follows footsteps
her silent wisdom important
to youthful prayer
I see her tiny foot
placed; a print in larger one,
passed over centuries,
and I view the channelling of voices
with those lost on the plains,
come at last to peace
in the rivered imprint of sands
Author notes
http://www.allpoetry.com/poem/3014596
"but when the wind dies down"
by Mary Cat
How it made me feel, as humbly as I can write, she does inspire me...
In a list
A contest entry
- Contest: Homage ~ Honoring Mary Cat by Night Hope.
600 points, ended June 11, 2007, 12 entries
Honorable winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 63 of 63
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Beautiful words and a great tribute.
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Thank you toomysterious, I appreciate the read
C
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this one is really amazing. there is too much here that has meaning to me to comment on. you are very gifted.
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That is very sweet of you to say. This was written for a friend on here now called 'Cat' if you haven't read her I am here to tell you, she is one of the very best. She wrote a poem on her family and childhood and it spoke so loudly that this is what arose. I am thrilled you liked it. C
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i loved it. i will try to find Cat's poems. ty for telling me of her
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You're welcome, you won't be disappointed
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such lovely language in this piece it flowed really well and was a pleassure to read, i tried to find something out of place but as always flawless!!! damn lol
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very powerful with great imagery. A beautiful story.
Shelly
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Ah Shelly I wish you could have read Cat's beautiful poem on her family taht brought this one into being but she removes things so fast lol. I could only hope to be one tenth the poet she is. C
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I just love this background. I love the way you write too. You use wonderful imagery and love the way you phrase things. Great job here.
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A picture drawn in words, and so skillfully, with such a mastery of image. The little child is very visible as you unfold this piece. Very well done.
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Classic poem.
The imagery and words so well placed. -
I loved the vivid image of the child and how she was portrayed
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Fine work.
Fine work of poetry. The images brought forth and the words used really good.
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I don't know the poet who inspired this piece but I know the feeling when someone truly inspires me. Methinks you've left your mark on this old world with your words.
Sincerely,
Leo Long
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She is just called Cat on here now and Mary is one of the best poets on here, I just love her stuff, if you want the heads up on beautiful free verse then she is the lady you want to read Leo. Love, C
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A Muse's Dream...
just so beautifully written!!! Peace, Cyn
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This piece is captivating and so very well done. It took at bit for me to read it becuase the eyes of the wolf in the backdrop kept pulling me away, they are intense. But this is a great piece of work.
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Mary is amazing, and this piece really compliments her talent, and yours. Deeply moving.
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Only wished she'd left her piece on, it was a most amazingly emotional piece i have ever read.
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Sorry I can't read Mary's poem, but yours is a brilliant delve into Indian traditions. The old teachers, revealing secrets of the tribe to the young. Your metaphors are exemplary. The inclusion of the wolf here, is so important to Indians. He is their leader, and their protector. Mention of the dream catcher is also significant. They really believe that it will stave evil dreams, and catch the bad spirits. I have one above my bed. IT doesn't work! LOL But I think it's because I'm NOT an INdian! Beautiful penning!
Love,
Linda
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I really like this! A poem to serisouly contemplate.
I will need to read this one again!
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I wish you could read Cat's one that this came from but she removes her old ones and the link is now defunct. It was a most moving piece of her and family recollections. She amazes me with the depth of her writes.
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Simply Maahvahlous!!!
Chez, Your beautiful masterpiece flies high and serenely flows through the kalaidescopic sky, leaving a trail of magnificent inspiration in its wake... This is so unique that I enjoyed the reading experience several times! Rich in wonderful imagery, with such excellent use of metaphor!! My favorite line reached out and grabbed the living surrealism right out of me: "...in the rivered imprint of sands..." Absolutely stunning work yet again, Ms. Poetess!!! Peace & Love, Cyn 
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Descriptions led the reader through a journey of the young who take the step to commitment for the past, to stand in the present and feed the future. Hopeful offering to paint her face as those who come from tales of long ago. Lovely description as a silent one of wisdom and youthful prayer. The power here rises above to be compelling, clear and distinct.
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Thank you, I only wish you could read the poem that this was inspired by but she has removed it from the site. It was beautiful and Cat is a wonderful writer. I only hoped to give her one half as good in return. Love, C
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Thank you, I only wish you could read the poem that this was inspired by but she has removed it from the site. It was beautiful and Cat is a wonderful writer. I only hoped to giver her one half as good in return. Love, C
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Ohhhhh.... this is sooooo gorgeous!
Incredible writing!
I love the imagery, all the details - nothing was too small for your mind to catch.
This is why I added you to my favorites list... you have such raw, real talent.
A wonderful poem!
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Cat inspires me when she pens, I wish you could read hers but she removes them after a short while. She is a very inspiring writer and I was only too happy to present her with this. Thanks for adding me, I am always humbled when someone else likes what I write
Love, C
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Beautifully done, just amazing talent. I always enjoy reading your work, as you're my inspiration for improving my own muse's pen. Thank you for sharing such a profound slice of poetic landscape with all of us!!! Peace & love, Cyn
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I am so glad that you are here, this poem I still work on from time to time, it is like a child that is growing up lol perhaps my security blanket Icome back to now and again. Love, C
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Beautiful imagery. Amazing work.
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Your magical voice ...
sounds with its intriguingly beautiful tones in this poem of layeredness and of timelessness. It moved my soul in ways beyond words.
The system did not allow me to read Cat's poem, but I shall try again. It must have been some stunning write, if it inspired you to create such a masterpiece!
Well done, Cheryl.
Love
Myra
Ps. Thank you so much for your loyal comments. I truly appreciate it.
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Sadly Myra, Cat has removed some of her old work and she took this one down that inspired this, I so wish she would put it back, it was amazing. Love, C P.S I am sure she would send it to you if you asked her too
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Wonderful imagery. I love slipper soft. I've read a few of cat's poems but should probably check out more. Such a wonderful devotion.
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Oh you would adore Cat, she has the ability in brevity to bring out such depth of emotions and she has taught me so much on how to write in short yet say so much.
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this is so beautiful.. i took all these poems and printed them and stored them..
the thoughts here.. just mesmerize
with their surrealism.. (you do surreal so amazingly well it causes chills)
yep.
chills again -
an everworld of thoughts and musings that are surreal and stealth. retrospective. infinite. yet urgent.
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Thank you, my first ever attempt to answer a poem by Cat, she is a fine writer here. Glad you liked it. Love, C
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You have beautifully painted images and wording put together here. I especially loved the second stanza. Wonderful flow to you thoughts. Thank you for the pleasure of reading..
~Kristy
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this is such a lovely tribute
you read her well, I can see why you got an HM for this.
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Excellent
I am using that word a lot lately. maybe it's me, but I sighed while reading this.
Joe
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Then you should read Cat's poem that inspired this, her life story is nothing short of amazing. Love, C
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Excellent!
I almost went outside to hear drums and flutes from the forest.
I will read it again before I play the sun down with the flute an Ojibway elder made me.{It has a Loon in it.}
I will think of the before times in actual America.
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Thank you Rob, I would like to hear that flute along with the drums and the fading flames as they dance with the children. Love, C
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i feel this spreading across the sky
amazing -
Interesting poem I liked the description and imagery here. Congrats on the HM.
Pozo
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i echo karen's comments- this poem is wonderfully written and i feel so honored you were able to read one of my own and create something as amazing as this in return- i'm printing it right now- thank you again...
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Mary I am very grateful that you enjoyed this piece, yours was so amazing to me I can't really express how I felt, I an honored your want to print this one out, I have been tempted to fiddle with this but have forced myself not to, because sometimes we just make things worse instead of better lol. I thank you for your kind comments, you make me smile when it comes from someone as wonderful as you are in poetry. Love, Cheryl
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This is one of the most beautiful poems I've been privileged to read, Chez. I know I will read it again and again, because it reads like a memory of the child in all of us, whose wisdom has the purity of echoes. That line: "ghosts gather at the gate" settles in my mind, and I find my self listening for the softer footsteps of innocence lost to the world of maturity.
Bookmarked... the purity strikes home.
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Thank you so much Karen, I did enjoy doing this for Mary Cat, her poem is so stirring in the memories of her childhood, I hope I did it justice. Love, Chez
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ooo yes.. this has a similar haunt to what I saw, felt ...somethinged.. lol don't ask me what it was.. just a whisper of something ....loudly there..
with the wolves....
wonderful...
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Excellent
Wow, its been a while since I've read your stuff, hey woman you are getting better and better! I am way impressed! If I could write as much as you I would be publishing. You could be so successful! This is another winner!
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Too kind Dawn, and publishing is never an easy thing for you have to decide which are good and which are bad and it takes money lol there in lies the sticky point
Love, C
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no need for humility- this is an amazing write and you have touched me greatly- thank you so much
m
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beautiful write
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"I see her tiny foot
placed in print of larger,
passed over centuries,
and I view the channelling of voice
with those lost on the plains
come at last to peace
in the rivered imprint of sands"
This is a great response to Mary's incredible poem, Chez. Very contemplative tone, very compassionate view. Thank you for entering, my Friend. Good luck in the contest. Wanda
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A quite splendid piece of poetry, indeed! This poem is certainly, in the least, a minor marvel of technique. Its meter and cadence move like water, a river, so soothingly along. The use of alliteration is so very fine, however the use of the internal ess sounds is really quite sensational and most brilliantly done and is in perfect conjunction and harmony with the liquid cadence of the piece. This is an absolutely marvelous poem, and a wonder! I loved it, loved it, absolutely loved it!
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Remarkable
details to transport, imagery to visualize, words to treasure in this remarkable poem in tribute to one of my favorite writers... remarkable...PK
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Fantastic Write
I can only say that this write captivated my thoughts as I read it. Intrigued my sense adventure also. The imagery and emotion are fantastic! Very well done, Don
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