the deepening ground

Early into Sunday morning I stood staring at my refrigerator door dueling with words. In the absence of other inspiration, the magnetic poetry drew my attention away from the latest disc golf round and fixed me to the puzzle in front of me. I had played around with a few of the lines a week or so ago, but left them incomplete, like so many of my works right now. But this suddenly felt within reach. Arguably, I was being wooed by the Word Himself to slow down and be in the moment before me. And so I did … past midnight and into the wee hours of Sunday morning.

The challenge of working with such a limited palette of words and the absolute lack of articles presented a welcomed challenge, forcing me to consider each word pairing and phrase carefully. (I have to admit, I went looking UNDER the refrigerator to see if I could find any additional words or suffixes!) Like crafting a sonnet or other set form of poetry, this challenge offered joy in the journey and in completion, like a crossing over into rest, fitting for a Sabbath. Ultimately, I went to bed content with my refrigerator door reverie, inspired, once again, to “elaborate on every story … [and] then go slowly taste life.”

(I’m including the image of the poem on my refrigerator door AND the typed out poem as well.)

Refrigerator Door Reverie (Magnetic Poetry)

By Vincent H. Anastasi 2023

elaborate on every story
search shadow and fire
live between spirit & skin
appreciate direct beauty
listen to a blue bird

find a fresh ache
in this summer gift
warm     easy     and free
and produce the essential symphony
of light and love

call that good

together make more music
for there are always cares
a thousand raw dreams
the full frantic crush
boiling in our blood

never give in
drink time deep
leave honeyed power
hard rusty professionalism
then go slowly taste life