My Cart 
Login 

Previous

Innocence
by
Julie L. Moore


Next
 
 Innocence sees that this is it, and finds it world enough.
                                                                                         --Annie Dillard
 
At some point you make peace with it
Your life as it is, with all it offers you

Like an early evening walk, half moon
Hung in the tiger lily sky

Black cows heading to the barn
Bemoaning the end of day

Hundreds of blackbirds screeching
Live as the wire they perch upon

My long-time friend zipping by in her van
Waving. It's after all the whining

And stomping of feet, of course. After dreams
Blur with real life. After the pin-pricked

Pop of the inflated ego. What joy
Mysterious. What humble innocence.
 

From Slipping Out of Bloom (WordTech Editions, 2010).
This poem first appeared in The Cresset.
Used here with the author's permission.
 

Julie L. Moore believes that writing poetry can be like a game, for it can manipulate language, satirize our clever, yet shallow, society, and even crack jokes. But that’s not why she jots notes in her moleskin while washing dishes, playing summer tourist, or trying to endure prolonged and painful illnesses. For her, it’s about saving a life: her own and--she hopes, if she's any good at it--someone else’s. Author of Slipping Out of Bloom (WordTech Editions) and Election Day (Finishing Line Press), Julie’s award-winning work has been published in numerous journals. Read more about her at www.julielmoore.com.


Post New Comment:
karenpaulholmes:
I agree 100% with KevinArnold's comment below. This is a truthful, human poem, well crafted.
Posted 06/07/2011 02:55 PM
dianapoet:
Truthful poem. I enjoyed it.
Posted 06/01/2011 07:26 PM
trailpny:
A beautiful poem, coming from the place where true poetry is born.
Posted 06/01/2011 10:03 AM
wendy morton:
Tiger lily sky!! Blackbirds. Wonderful.
Posted 06/01/2011 09:27 AM
Jo:
Wonderful poem. And at some point, we do make peace with it. Thank you.
Posted 06/01/2011 08:59 AM
KevinArnold:
This is one of those few poems where the all-important subject, so well stated, doesn't demand much. The inscript is ALMOST so self-contained that don't need the poem, but of course you do. "My long-time friend zipping by in her van /Waving. It’s after all the whining /And stomping of feet, of course. Wonderfully understated. I was carried away to Julie L. Moore's world; an exquisite poem.
Posted 06/01/2011 08:12 AM
dotief@comcast.net:
Wonderful!
Posted 06/01/2011 07:50 AM
KathyD:
cows "bemoaning the end of the day" is such a lovely-never-put-together-like-that-before phrase. Thank you for all the images and feelings.
Posted 06/01/2011 07:28 AM
Anjie:
OH, that "pin-pricked pop of the inflated ego"! I love your poem, Julie. Keep on writing! -Anjie Kokan http://www.promptsforwriters.blogspot.com
Posted 06/01/2011 06:59 AM


Contents of this web site and all original text and images therein are copyright © by Your Daily Poem. All rights reserved.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Purchasing books through any poet's Amazon links helps to support Your Daily Poem.
The material on this site may not be copied, reproduced, downloaded, distributed, transmitted, stored, altered, adapted,
or otherwise used in any way without the express written permission of the owner.