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Poem for the day

(7 Posts)
Greyduster Mon 27-Jul-15 09:45:55

That's my thought also, janer.

Luckygirl Sun 26-Jul-15 15:04:21

Good thought jane - I think you are right.

Thanks for posting the picture tanith.

janerowena Sun 26-Jul-15 14:51:23

I think she is again referring to her children, her heart's hue is the colours of her beloved children and their clothing in amongst the waves, the point is the direction they are in, constantly checking they are safe. I still do this with DBH&Son when we go to the beach!

Luckygirl Sun 26-Jul-15 13:32:31

I am assuming that the word "points" refers to Seurat's painting technique, but why "my heart's hue"? All suggestions welcomed!

AshTree Sun 26-Jul-15 13:18:30

Yes, I like the atmosphere too and somehow it doesn't much matter that I don't know what she means by "I scan for points of my heart's hue". The poem so perfectly evokes the 'day at the seaside' - a sort of happy, warm, soporific, atmosphere with the blended sounds of children, boats, gulls, waves, people talking. I can almost smell the seaweed smile

tanith Sun 26-Jul-15 11:18:23

It certainly does have a nice atmousphere, and I was a bit lost in some of the lines but had a think and a quick google and it all became clear.. I might print it off , it certainly reminds me of seaside holidays we took long ago .

thankyou for posting it.

Bathers by Seurat.

Luckygirl Sun 26-Jul-15 11:06:30

My children spill from the car like herrings
sluiced from a bucket, sheened from back-seat heat.
I school across road these shiny fingerlings
and plant in the sand their water-pale feet.
I peel off coral culottes, yellow tops;
squealing merfolk, their sturdy arms raised
float and sway like anemone on rocks.
Freed, they run naked to the sea's lick, and wave
while I sink to towel, bones like ice cream
under sun. In the cafe kitchens, blue
mussels scrubbed of their anchoring threads, brim
tin pails. I scan for points of my heart's hue -

like Seurat's bather, they cup hand to mouth,
into the luminous silence, they shout.

By Cynthia Woodman Kerkham

I love the atmosphere of this poem, but there are some lines that I cannot quite understand.