December

I started writing this poem at the Sam Houston State Writing Project.  I left it alone, unfinished, until a traumatic experience jolted me from my poetic slumber.  A family member was hospitalized.  When this event occurred, I wasn't quite sure how to understand completely what had happened. I was in some kind of funk. I couldn't sleep or concentrate on what I was supposed to be doing. Finally, after much processing time and soul searching, I finished this poem. I went back to the unfinished version and poured my heart out into it. When I finished it, I felt liberated from a heavy fog that wouldn't dissipate.  Writing is truly cathartic, especially when it is poetry.  I hope you get a glimpse into what I was going through and feel a sense of relief in the end.  I dedicate this poem to my beautiful sister Diane. She is an inspiration to me.

DECEMBER

By M Ucles

Born

Into this world

Seven on the day of infamy

Seven in the cold, cold rustling wind

Brushing up against my rosy red cheeks

Nose nastily running

Searching through

Once barren pockets

Housing the puffs of plenty

 Wadded into a ball

I stand

Peering into the dark and dreary

Dark and dreary monstrous tree branches

Flailing effortlessly into nothingness

The ultimate struggle captured

As a frozen Polaroid

Lifeless

 Alone

I behold

Yet cannot contain

This moment

So surreal

Surrounding, engulfing

Everything I am

Serenely

Delicately

Reaching, grasping

Covering

Caressing

Embracing

Consuming

Snow

Descending effortlessly

Numbing, piercing,

Placidly pervading my being

       Blanketing my soul

In a motionless dance

No sound

No words

Pure silence

  Peace

Enters side door left

for a second

or two

maybe more

Peace

Finally

Soulfully

Lovingly

Alights

My way

Thank God Almighty

Peace At last

Peace At last

Permeating

My heart

My Mind

My Soul

Palpable

Pristine

Peace

Thanks so much! I guess I was trying to capture the feeling of numbness in the cold but at the same time a peaceful feeling coming from a place of struggle. I think you captured the essence of it. I wrote this after my sister was in the hospital. At the time, I couldn't concentrate on anything. I was extremely worried and didn't know how to really process what had happened. I was numb. Then I looked over a poem, that wasn't finished, from the summer and then I went from it and this is what morphed from my extreme makeover in the revision. I was revising things inside of me and trying to make sense of things. It was so cathartic for me. When I finished this, after a couple more revisions, I felt great about it and wanted to put it up. It was after this, that I could concentrate and get back to work and life. It was a way to get things out and vent, if that makes sense. Thanks for your kind words! Please over analyze all day, if that's what you call it. I call it going deep, very deep! Mil gracias!

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Teresa Batres

2 years ago

Beautiful Maureen! One can look at this poem from different lenses. It invites the reader to think in different perspectives of their lives and not just about a birth month or day. You say so much with this poem. "Born Into this world Seven on the day of infamy" I think of the opposite events occurring on that same day, life and death. In reality both ends were about survival. I love the arrow shapes you used to convey a more meaningful poem. It definitely adds and strengthens the conventional elements of the poem, especially in the meaning of words and rhythm. One can easily connect through experience of sadness and happiness, birth and loss, negative and positive, sickness and health because the title "December" opens the door to various interpretations which means that many will just love it. I'm thinking of the many ways one can be born after life changing experiences occur in our lives. After all, isn't peace and happiness what we seek the most? Maybe I'm just over-analyzing your poem Maureen... OOPS! hahaha! I do that sometimes. I've enjoyed reading "December". Awesome!

By Maureen Ucles