Riddle & Thomson – February 2017

Taunja Thomson and Dina Riddle traded art and words. Dina shared this image, entitled “Flowers on a Sunday Morning,” with Taunja:

In response, Taunja wrote this poem:

Spilling (The Goldfish Plant)

I.

Goldfish swim through aisles of leaves—
those etched with day’s last sunlight
and the ones striped with evening’s
jade. Glass between goldfish
and sun makes waves
to which they nod.
Later grooves of moon
will dance and cool
and lend bronze beams
to sleeping goldfish
backs.

II.

Sunday spokes burn
with changing streaks
of sun and shade—
long leaves aflame
with sky’s whim—
orange fish bobbing
at all ends.

III.

When it rains and greenery
sits on porch rail
its goldfish dream
of some other ocean
higher    deeper    wider
than this jungle of finite leaves
and blissful—oh yes blissful—
endless water for their bud-mouths
no more reaching up.

IV.

Morning
finds goldfish
tawny with a soft dawn—
between fading moon
no sun     thin sky
a horizon-opening in the glass
to let wind through. Their tidal leaves
sway and an ocean is born: an ocean
with steep ridges     rifts carved by invisible
currents and patina’d in rough rows like reefs
squirming with shadows. Container melts away spilling titian fish.

* * * * *

Taunja shared this poem with Dina:

I spend winter imagining

black roses on the bare trees of winter
as they underline sunset

night and dawn twining around red clouds
their offspring a vague twilight

the line where sky touches bright snow
lengthening into a summer tunnel

a puzzle of bones unfolding and rising
taking shape with leaves for skin

the gold moon: goddess
whispering dream and you shall
receive.

In response, Dina made this image, entitled “Black Roses of Winter”: