Fragility and Strength
Fragility and Strength
complement each other,
as dragonfly wings within its structure
or the delicacy and tenacity of a spider’s web;
As a rope of sisal
each straw building strength,
On their own they wouldn’t withstand;
Strains and wear borne each day.
Tenderness within a shield of love
creates a force of vitality;
Like gossamer and sinew in their opposites,
All create a Citadel of resilience and peace.
As does the Sunflower reaching towards the sun
anchored by its roots to Earth.
Sing a song each morning, or hum;
See how the dark forces flee,
they don’t like positivity,
Lose their courage in the face of joy.
© miriam ivarson
Enchanting!
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Thank you Louisa. 😊 .
miriam
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My pleasure!
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A fabulous piece of art, Miriam! Thanks so much for sharing your gift. 🙂
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Natalie, how could I not be touched and yes..proud.. of such a beautiful comment. Thank you 😊. The sharing is the pleasure and also fear of most writers. How could we not though?
Miriam
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Lovely poem and photo Miriam!
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Thank you so much. 😊
miriam
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You’re welcome. 🙂
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What a great juxtaposition, beautifully said. I’ve often marveled at the strength of fragile spider webs.
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Thank you Jaqui for your lovely comment. I have many photos of spiders’ webs taken early mornings. Beautiful and strong.
I feel we need both fragility and strength to create.
Miriam
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I like the way you have ended this poem Miriam…hope and positivity may tread slowly but they do affect us, steering us out of the contrasting situations we struggle with. I choose strength though fragile aspects of life have their own charm. I choose light though darkness acquaints us with real life.
Thank you for compressing so much of life into this poem dear friend. Have a wonderful weekend.
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Thank you for your positive response Balroop. I am often told how
strong I am but know very well about the fragile feelings that also exist
within. I really do feel they move together. Just like light and darkness.
Have a wonderful weekend you too. 💕
Miriam
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This reminds me so much of my parents. He was strong and she could be quite fragile at times, though her love was strong. The last part is beautifully encouraging.
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Thank you for your sweet comment JoAnna. I can so see how your parents
complemented each other. Your mother might have been fragile of body but
strong of heart and mind.
Miriam
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Yes. That is true.
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Really wonderful!
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Thank you, I am really glad you felt so.
miriam
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This is a lovely poem about finding strength in fragility, and fragility in strength. You are right when you say they both complement each other, and each one drives the other. As you alluded to, so much of nature is exactly this. Delicate flowers look to the sun for growth, but in the winter they give up and wither. And then the cycle repeats. Wonderful work, Miriam 🙂
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Thank you for your beautiful comment Mabel. I am glad you also can see and feel the how fagility and strength combine to something even better.
And so it is within us as well as in friendships and partnerships. At least I think so. 🙂 🌻
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Miriam,
I marvel at your wonderful poem and it makes me think of the simple process of reading unlocks the strength of its words. And as strength and fragility are opposites it makes sense that to get to the one you must honor the other. Go deep into the soul and you open up a treasure chest of untold strength amongst what may seem as fragile… beautiful.
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Thank you Jeff for your beautiful and deeply thought response.
Your interpretation of my poem feels so true and makes me glad.
It is also so true that by reading we unlock the words, I love that saying.
As you unlocked mine. 😊 .
Miriam
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Inspiring poem, Miriam. Love the photos too!
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Thank you for your positive comment Jennifer. To inspire is a blessing
to the one who gives as much as the one who receives.
Bless
miriam
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Intricately and exquisitely woven, Miriam! ❤ Sharing… xo
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Bette, thank you for your beautiful words about my ‘weave’. ❤️ .
Xo
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❤ Blessings and love…
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A warming poem, with wonderful peroration. Thanks for posting, Miriam.
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Thank you Roland for your beautiful comment. After reading up the real meaning of peroration I feel justly proud. 😊 .
Miriam
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Miriam, a beautiful poem of opposites … the innate contradiction follows us through life, nature, souls but all the time complementing and a necessity of each other. You capture the fragile nature with tenderness and love, reminding us of the strength within. Your final stanza leaves me smiling, even humming perhaps, as I delight in the thought of joy overcoming the darkness! May it be so! 😀❤️
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Annika, thank you for your wonderful and deeply felt response. With
sensitivity you say :
“the innate contradiction follows us through life, nature, souls but all the time complementing and a necessity of each other. ”
I am glad you can feel the joy and belief in the last stanza, to feel that darkness fade in the face of joy. 😊❤️🦋 .
Miriam
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Thoughtful and beautiful, Miriam.
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Thank you Cynthia, I am so glad you felt positive from my words.
miriam
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Sing a song each morning –
Well told. Music has no inherent evil.
“If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD WAS MUSIC” – Kurt Vonnegut
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Thank you Phil for your great comment.
I had never heard this quote by Kurt Vonnegut but will copy it down. It is great. After all, music is expression of our inner self. It has no practical use.
🎼🎹🎻.
miriam
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Now, here’s a real discussion. Why are authors denied the very useful expressivetools of a composer? If words were written like notation/lyrics with all of the dynamic symbols notated undere the words? Crescendo, dimuendo, ppp to fff? Read in that manner all sorts of ridiculous dialogue tags would go out the window. Think about that. A crescendo under a line as opposed to “She said, her voice gaining volume along the way.”
Okay…sorry.
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No sorry Phil, this is interesting and fun. I have given it thought and can see one glitch in the argument. Poetry is read directly by the readers ( audience )
whilst the music is never read by the audience – only by the professionals who perform it. Or of course us how read it and play at home.
I have had a few of my poems read by a poet I respect greatly and have the gift of reading poetry. It really made it sound quite beautiful. 😊.
Similar as the musician playing.
Miriam
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“All create a citadel of peace and resilience.” How perfectly stated. And I love the two accompanying photos.
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Sharon, thank you for your beautiful response. I am delighted with the
line you choose from the poem.
The photos, I picked the fender because it has to take so much beating and I like the boat behind. 😊. The shimmering but strong web speaks for itself.
Miriam
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A lovely poem about contrasts, Miriam.
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Thank you Robbie. Contrasts seem to be in everything, the more I think about it.
miriam
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This is wonderful, Miriam! Love the imagery of the dragonflly wings, and the spider web. So true how delicate strands become strong when banded together. And love the positivity in the ending. Thank you for sharing this with us!
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Thank you for your beautiful comment Julie. I feel so delighted that you liked and understood the imagery. I even researched the dragonfly wings 😊 to make sure I wasn’t totally in fairy land.
Did you hum this morning then ……💕 ,
Miriam
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An intriguing piece Marion which seems like you’re walking us on a songline of thought. You remind me, strength comes in many guises, the need for mutual support and not to make assumptions on face value. I read much more besides, like a life lesson and I thank you.
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Thank you Nigel, your comment is as intriguing as any words of mine. 😊.
I do so love your phrase ” walking us on a songlines of thought” .
That is a stand alone and dear comment.
Yes, strength does indeed come in many guises and fragility can easily be hidden behind to our own detriment. It is wonderful tho share these thoughts
and they enrich us. I know yours do every time and many others among
us.
Miriam
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This is beautiful Miriam. I’m not sure why I didn’t see it sooner. You have given the threads in sisal a new significance for me.
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Janice, I am glad then that you saw it now as I treasure your comment and visit. Sisal is both a beautiful word and yes, bound together so very strong.
miriam
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Beautifully penned!
xoxo
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Thank you for your kind words..
miriam
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Beautiful, Miriam. Here’s to fragility and strength. 👍
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Thank you Mark, yes, cheers to them both.
Don’t you think we carry them both within us?
Miriam
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