Saturday 23 February 2008

Drift

Seven years old, in my jigsaw world map
I saw the west coast of Africa
fit neatly beside Brazil
despite the expanse of ocean
that correctly came between
in broken blue.

Years later in a college lecture room
I discovered continental drift,
plate tectonics, theories of biogeography
and instantly understood.

Now, sifting through photographs
I see your distant face:
Africa to my Brazil.



previously published in Curlew magazine

unneeded(?) puzzle pieces for Weekend Wordsmith

10 comments:

Janice Thomson said...

That must have been quite a moment when you understood what you already innately knew. A beautifully written piece Juliet - love that last verse.

Anonymous said...

Lovely idea, perfectly executed, tying the two pieces together at the end. Lovely.

SandyCarlson said...

How beautiful. How honest. How needed for the times in which we live.

God bless.

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful. Two worlds merge together in human form...just lovely.

Tracey

polona said...

love this. wonderful revelation

UL said...

how superb..beautiful

paisley said...

what amazing imagery here... i read this the other day,, and i thought i had commented... so i am glad i was brought back by WW today... so much can be read into this...shifting, mirror images... attractions ...very insightful....

Scot said...

love the end--makes it real




http://midwestpoet.wordpress.com

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Ooh, wow. That is one strong poem. I remember those same lessons -- but without the realization at the end that makes this so very strong. Wow.

Anonymous said...

Yup. Excellent.