The Catfish Eye
wikimedia commons
Satsuuma, Louisiana Pastel
she walks with gnarled toes
feeling eels slither
through mud
made of fog.
there, a tiny fraction,
light's division,
vibrating prisms
on water's edge, she pauses,
the catfish eye
seeking hers
its tale of sorrow
bouyant in the sand.
fingers reach
stroking whiskers, she reads
its colors in the water
fading
change is here
it says
as the light shifts
and her toes grow roots.
copyright/all rights reserved Audrey Howitt 2014 posted for Real Toads and dVerse OLN
When the toes growth roots you know you've reached the answer..
ReplyDeleteOh this makes me smile a bit!
DeleteYes, roots indeed...in your opening lines that's exactly what I pictured and I love that the catfish speaks of change...imaginative and vividly written.
ReplyDeleteHey Hannah--thank you!
Deletethis is beautiful, what a magnificent adventure...and the roots of the toes is charming.
ReplyDeletestacy lynn mar
http://warningthestars.blogspot.com/
Will the outcome be satisfactory?
ReplyDeleteThe roots could also be considered too binding.
Great interaction between the different factions in this grim landscape.
Her toes grow roots. How cool!
ReplyDeleteChange is here - I thought this line is perfect for the autumn season ~ And I love that ending Audrey ~ Have a good weekend ~
ReplyDelete"change is here....and her toes grow roots". Wow. I am knocked out by this poem! And all of the responses to this prompt. Like what's left of my mind is being blown, poem by poem.
ReplyDeleteoo nice...a bit of a haunting piece audrey...the catfish eye...ha...first time my youngest saw a catfish he begged me to throw it back...or cut the line...he thought it was a monster...
ReplyDeletechange is here
ReplyDeleteas the light shifts
and her toes grow roots.
Change is there in time it never varies. It precedes some for improvements though if distracted it may cause irritations. Great ending Audrey!
Hank
To me this poem has an eerie flavor....with gnarled toes growing roots, and, oh, that catfish eye! Well penned.
ReplyDeletewhat a nice image... the toes growing roots mean they found that place they would call home...
ReplyDeletei truly do feel that is the secret of life..for one's toes to grow root with the earth beneath us..no matter if bog..or sand .. or rocked mountain side..the earth is home..a place for toes to grow in..and never escape..ah..but shoes..that devilish device..that separate us from the one true home..
ReplyDeletenone of us can do without..:)
I am not sure why, perhaps it is the sweetness and the innocence that moves me so in this poem, that makes me really love it.
ReplyDeleteLove that close!
ReplyDeleteMmm.. Me too! 'Her toes grew roots..." Quite affecting...
ReplyDeleteOh, this is wonderful, eerie and intriguing and I want to be there... love the stroking whiskers.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the surreal quality of your poem, Audrey. Sometimes growing roots is good, other times not so good.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is very haunting--there is a feeling of the magical and it feels as if universal as well a personal change were in the offing. Thanks k .
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerful juxtaposition of change coming and shifting of light while she is rooted to the moment and/or place. Brilliant metaphor. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteChange is here...if that alone was on the page it would still be magical!
ReplyDeleteInteresting as to whether her toes are rooted to the past or the present or perhaps in some imagined future - or all three.
ReplyDeleteFirmly on the ground, thats what matters
ReplyDeleteChange is here... her toes grow roots... I love the imagery here. The humus-rich soil will feed a fruitful future.
ReplyDeletewonderful marshy, swampy truth in this, Audrey ~
ReplyDeleteStrong images, very cerebral writing!
ReplyDeleteLove your imagination and the feel of this poem. Change and stability - that's the process of life. Great write.
ReplyDeleteI just love the imagery and use of metaphor in this. As a young child I swam the local river, felt the muddy bottom, the fish brushing against legs as they swam by. You have captured and painted such vivid imagery with your words. Just lovely!
ReplyDeleteLol...as I read this the images of the theme song to True Blood were filling my mind. This had some powerful imagery that seemed dark but also seemed a little hopeful to me. Great pic and great poem. Thanks for playing!
ReplyDelete… catfish eye can't be a good thing - they are not pretty fish. And toes growing roots, here, makes me think it isn't a good thing. Like sticking around to see if change occurs - when one should just keep on moving, keep on living, or you will stagnate …
ReplyDeleteGreat close to cool imagery.
ReplyDelete