Poem: “A Cup of Earth” by Mark Hinton
(copyright © m.a.h. hinton)
I have gotten into the habit on Tuesdays at MontanaWriter of posting one of my own poems. I do not know how long I will continue the process, but for this week I am posting another unpublished poem, “A Cup of Earth.”
I have used the second person for poems a few times. I think of it as the poetic version of the self portrait. It is an interesting exercise. It seems to come naturally to me at times.
One thing I will say about writing in the second person: for someone like me who is very reticent to speak about myself in-person in anyway, writing in the second person does seem to allow me to write about things “nearer the heart and bone.” I will let a psychologist ruminate on why that is so.
Poetically, besides being in the second person, the poem uses repetition to emphasize theme and sound. Sound and mood are inextricably mixed in poetry just like they are in music. In general, light-bright vowel sounds do not not usually convey melancholy or somberness while deep-dark vowel sounds do not usually convey the lightness of a summer day. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule.
Since there is something even stranger to me about talking about a poem I have written than writing in the second person about myself, I will end here.
Enjoy!
Reddo
The poem that once
appeared in this space
is being re-drafted
and re-typed.It will be re-posted
someday soon
at MontanaWriter.com.
Stay tuned!
____
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Mark,
“A Cup of Earth” narrated in second person is compelling. I enjoyed the experience of being the poem’s subject and thus more closely feeling the poem’s emotions as my own.
Thanks for sharing this along with your other poems. Is there another collection in the works?
Mitch
Mark, this is my favorite poem that I have read of yours to date, it brings back a flood of memories. As I sit here and type this I have vivid memories of avocado seeds suspended in clear glasses set upon the window sill above the kitchen sink. It has been over thirty years now since I looked at those seeds and I always wonder what could have grown had they continued to be nurtured.
Thanks for sharing your talent and allowing your words to enrich our lives.