This Poem was Submitted By: James C. Horak On Date: 2006-06-14 07:28:34 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!To Listen to Music While Reading this Poem, just Click Here!
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KaKaKachina
The Navaho take their emphatic dolls from it,
Reverent to how its roots cradle about water
with telling sign.
All is not just about subtle clue to wizened eye,
But it beckons to pious sleep when the slightest
breeze stirs its leaves.
The one upon my ground is my best witness,
I abide God's law by taking care of living things.
Even my bad habits decline to goodness before its
Splendor
When the tailings of my coffee protect it from
the unkind Mr. Bore Worm.
Knowing it will linger long after I am gone...at least
from here,
Places pause in me to wonder:
One day will some Kachina visage
Have a thought of me upon its craven face? |
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Copyright © June 2006 James C. Horak
This Poem was Critiqued By: Jordan Brendez Bandojo On Date: 2006-07-03 22:11:40
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.78261
Hi James,
The title is something unique to me as it is my first encounter of that. I believe in your writing, the intellect, the poetic quality, the sage. So please continue to stick around.
Jordan
This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Steven Scheffer On Date: 2006-06-17 09:37:26
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
JCH,
I like this. The reflection, the expanse of it. Kings of infinite space we are. But then there's Time.
Probably my favorite of the poems of yours i've seen. Your poems always come from the right place. I sometimes question the execution. Though that's not your fault - largely beyond your, anyone's, control.
MSS
This Poem was Critiqued By: Lora Silvey On Date: 2006-06-17 09:06:36
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
KaKaKachina (catchie title)
The Navaho take their emphatic dolls from it,
Reverent to how its roots cradle about water
with telling sign.(made from the cottonwood tree, the root usually resembles a man)
All is not just about subtle clue to wizened eye,
But it beckons to pious sleep when the slightest
breeze stirs its leaves.(yes, the natives who use Kachina believe that the wood is alive with the spirit that is made to resemble, that the spirit it represents is present in the kachina)
The one upon my ground is my best witness,
I abide God's law by taking care of living things.
Even my bad habits decline to goodness before its
Splendor
When the tailings of my coffee protect it from
the unkind Mr. Bore Worm.(protecting the tree in itself is like paying homage to the tree, acknowledgement of something far older and wiser than man, in this; the indigenous peoples of this continent and the Druids have beliefs that were/are very similar)
Knowing it will linger long after I am gone...at least
from here,
Places pause in me to wonder:
One day will some Kachina visage
Have a thought of me upon its craven face?(they say that we leave a bit of ourselves on all that we touch, then it stands that a part of you will be part of the tree, an essence that will become part of the kachina if it be carved from part of that tree) Kudos James! Well told.
Best always,
Lora
This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Andrew Hislop On Date: 2006-06-17 00:02:12
Critiquer Rating During Critique: Unknown
JCH
What have we here? A plea to be remembered? A hope? A talisman against the eternity of the void? A prayer for a "yes" to the question, "Have I, in the Great Scheme of Things, basically been a good boy?"
Not as if I don't empathise...
... after all, who really knows what their life is really worth?
I know I don't.
MAH
This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2006-06-14 15:33:59
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Nice to see you writing again. This Kachina visage I've heard of before but I don't know if it's from the west coast natives that are where I live (many tribes to list here). Taking care of living things is very shall I say, humble of you. We "should" all abide by that. Maybe there would be war no more.To have your image on a totem? Now that's some vanity speaking here...No?
This Poem was Critiqued By: Ellen K Lewis On Date: 2006-06-14 14:53:49
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
This is a lovely piece. I think I feel those telling roots as they wrap about eternity. I like the feel of the completed-ness-(sorry, I have no other word!) -the solidity and the liquid brought together feels complete, yet somehow keeps me waiting for that which is coming,as if there is still some stirring left to be done. As a mark upon eternity and a reminder of the what we can leave behind, this is a reflective poem, with many deep waters and airy truths combined. How cool! I really do like this work.
This Poem was Critiqued By: marilyn terwilleger On Date: 2006-06-14 14:44:17
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Hi James....so nice to see your name on the list of poems! Don't laugh but I had to look up Kachina! Then I learned that Kachina can be many gods with more than one meaning....good grief! But I think you are speaking of the carved doll here. I'm thinking this doll is not the cute little doll that girls play with but rather it is sinister...I decided this from your last line..."Have a thought of me upon its craven face?"
All is not just about subtle clue to wizened eye,.......If I were forced to chose a favorite line or
But it beckons to pious sleep when the slightest.........phrase this would be it. I love the word 'wizened'
breeze stirs its leaves. .........and have used it even when people didn't know
.........what I was talking about.
I abide God's law by taking care of living things.
Even my bad habits decline to goodness before its
Splendor...............................I have changed my mind (women can do that, you know)
...............................I think these are my favorite lines. the notion of
abiding by God's law by taking care of living things
..............................appeals to me..I strive to do this myself.
Then we have the horrible Mr Bore Worm...I have seen these guys in action...not a pretty sight.
I find this to be an unusual topic for a poem but it is well written, intelligent, and a pleasure to read.
Glad you are back...stay with us and if I am way off base with my assessment of this poem please don't let that keep you away! TPL is really struggling and some of us 'old' members are trying to keep it alive. Presently we have few poems posted and few critiques...some members are ill, some facing surgery, and some who are just sick of the whole thing (my idea). Glad to hear from you and hope you are well.
My best...Marilyn
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