As I fold and seal the poem below
into a turquoise bottle and toss it in the sea,
in the ocean that carries our words and thoughts;
I make a wish that it will reach some of you.
Please know, I now feel there is another poem,
a poem about how nature remained,
so true to its ancient self.
All the wonders of strength were there.
The sea, the bluest sky, the shimmering rocks.
Yes, I will tell you about that – another time.
Harmony and Discords
Was it so simple then
when I was a child, I ask myself;
Waking to the seagulls sounds,
as they happily greet the morning
soaring and sailing high above.
My heart feels lonely. lost,
there is so much sadness around;
Where once I felt simplicity and joy.
So many worries to attend
so much sorrow in many hearts;
I just wanted to sit by the sea
By the old cafe on the wooden pier;
Recalling the simplicity of life.
I listen to discords and angst,
my heart cries and I cannot sleep,
fearing the dark valley, these whipped up storms
Where is the harmony,
The simple belonging to life.
© miriam ivarson
My Window 
Beautiful, Miriam. 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Paula. 😊 .
miriam
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely thoughts Miriam. Nature may be ancient but ever new, showering blessings on us in many ways, despite discords. We can feel the harmony in each element of changing seasons. Sometimes she shows her indignation at the disrespect we show to her and extracts her “pound of flesh” to remind us about our responsibilities.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for your kind comment Balroop. My first part – preword – talk about the strength of these ancient rocky hills. They really are in fact ancient and part of heritage sites.
The discords were among human beings and possibly part of the changing homogeneous charachter of the place as access to land became easy with the changes that other beliefs and lifestyles and faster musts entered.
Difficult to explain this in a few lines without first giving the background.
Miriam
LikeLiked by 1 person
“The simple belonging to life.” Very nice.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much for your kind comment. Isn’t it so, we just need to open up and the richness around makes us feel strong and whole.
Miriam
LikeLiked by 1 person
First, is the painting of the rocks your work? Absolutely stunning art.
What an interesting idea you suggest, that a poem is a message in a bottle, washed up on distant shores, an emissary for contact, expressing the place and time when it was sealed in.
Then your second poem, filled with angst when all you want is to go to the sea and find simplicity. Perhaps it is the message in the bottle that upsets you.
I’ve read these poems several times because they are worth re-reading.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sharon, thank you for your wonderful comment. You have really read this more than once, what an honour.
Yes, the painting is mine, I did it some years ago sitting by the sea and looking at this rock which seemed to have a face and something to say.😊.
The preword to the poem wasn’t meant to be a poem – grin – obviously it decided otherwise. The poem in the bottle is ‘ Harmony and Discord’ . You are right, the message disturbs me but I found that simplicity and the harmony that goes I sought. Hopefully all will be able to be more clear in another poem. 🤗 .
Miriam
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is very lovely, Miriam. I enjoyed reading your thoughts.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Robbie, I am real glad you enjoyed reading my post.
miriam
LikeLiked by 1 person
And then I remember how much I wanted to grow up, make my own decisions! How’s that working out, hmm?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for commenting Jaquie. Yes, how is it working out? 😊
Isn’t growing up a continuous process as long as we are here.
miriam
LikeLike
Beautiful painting and a wonderful poem, Miriam! There does seem to be more discord around, and I also find myself longing for the harmony of the past, at least the harmony I perceived then. May harmony return to your world sooner rather than later. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Julie for your wonderful comment.
Modern technology and more outside entertainment takes up bigger slices of
many lives and leave less for the natural flow of family and friendship. All gets so very busy. 😊 .
This weekend has been wonderful, hope the same for you.
Miriam
LikeLike
Exposed to the vitality or serenity or power of nature is the one thing that will make you spread your arms, sea spray in your face, and say ok, God. I get it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Phil, how wonderful a comment. Thank you. Like you I do just that,
Spread my arms up and out and receive, feel the strength.
It is a wordless communion.
miriam
LikeLike
Wow! Miriam, the anguished and lost soul comes across vividly in your poem so aptly titled … the total discord where once there was perfect harmony and simple joy. How often in life we return to our childhood places which, to our emotional pain, has lost the magic of just being. Your poem is astute and sparingly highlights the dichotomy of time, as past memories meet present reality. I love your introduction and the image of the ocean with our words and thoughts! Unforgettable! BTW beautiful atmospheric painting and photos … are they by your hand? The hues of grey in the first photo is astonishing and I feel eternity in this image!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ahh…Annika, what a beautiful comment. You have understood me better than I did myself.😊 . After spending time meeting people and having an
enriching time with many discussions I thought I was fine.
After I realised that my soul cried. Odd.
There were many sorrows and the strife between new and old was apparent but nobody seemed to notice that they still had all the strengths around them.
The first photo is an old that I have as part of heirlooms. A natural black and white. I love that set of photos. The painting and the seagull are by me.
Thank you 💕 .
Miriam
LikeLiked by 1 person
The seagull photo is incredible, one spirit soars just viewing it! I am very impressed with your painting, the rocks are organic, full of life and colour, wonderful! Hope you will share more of your art and gifts! xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Annika for such kind words. The seagull, I do agree with you,
to watch the over the sea is a spiritual experience.
I am but an amateur painter but as it has been liked I might post more – as and when. 🤗 .
miriam
LikeLike
I feel your longing for simplicity – to sit by the sea and absorb its energy. It has special medicine, like each natural place. If we could do this, just imagine the peace. Your words move us closer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
JoAnna, thank you for your beautiful comment. You do feel so right.
The sea and nature in stillness restores and heals better than most.
I will stop before I write an essay about it.😊 .
miriam
LikeLike
Childhood innocence Miriam, if only children could ‘know’ how special that time is. As children we take it for granted and only when it’s passed, and recalled in quiet moments, or when memory is triggered can we fully appreciate what we had.
But it is possible I think, to return in a sense, to that time. It is just so difficult to shed the weight we accrue on our backs, the desire to achieve material wealth, professional recognition, the slavery of consumerism, the indifference to other’s woes and the cult of the self.
Your beautiful piece strikes a chord with me and I yearn now, before summer’s really done, to walk the woods where my ghost already treads. Thank you Miriam.
Nigel x
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful and in depth comment Nigel, thank you so much. I think we know as children and young that we love the place and the people but yes, we take it for granted.
Nigel, I think we can shed the weight and feel equally strong again in a more mature way. Open our hearts fully and drop the burdens…..one by one. We don’t really want to carry them.
Please, go walking those woods again and find that the ghost is not a ghost, it is you. Enter each other and feel the joy again.
Bless
Miriam x
LikeLike
Very moving, Miriam.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much Cynthia.
LikeLike
Miriam I just loved the last two lines.
“Where is the harmony,
The simple belonging to life.”
Shiva
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Shiva for your kind comment.
When and where did so many lose this simplicity and joy of belonging?
Miriam
LikeLike
I think we allow the ancient self to be covered up with the sorrow and sadness of today. Now we must uncover the self and allow it lead us on the righteous path…jc
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much for your comment Jeff, nice to see you here again.
We have to live in the now but our spirit needs to fly free as it is meant to.
To take time to sit down and tell stories, to laugh heartily and cry to.
Just before I sat down to check the blog friends I saw something very ancient.
A full moon. So beautiful and still mystic in spite of all space crafts.🌻 .
Miriam
LikeLike