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resting in a shadow of the Rainbow Serpent

It was on
eternity road
that the apple-gums
began their dance,
within shadow

at half-way creek
I stood in the rings
as ghosts with painted
bodies, dance caribberie

a voice
of lost chants
drifted through
a string of camphor laurels
I slipped my shadow
between a sacrament
of the rites

as the ghosts of past
serenaded the Dreamtime,
I sank further
into undergrowth

lost in the awe,
I am split between
now and then

as I sway in the hold
of the camphor laurel,
she tightens her grip

I have now become
as Dreamtime lore,
I am in legend
and this?

this is my home ...

— Seren, May 22, 2010

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: Beyond the Black Stump..Australia, AUS

Favorite Poets: Pablo Neruda, P.K.Page, W.H.Auden, to many and various to include them all ...

More from this author

Critiques

C

CyberSpace

16 years ago

orsm poem and you did what

orsm poem and you did what you set out to do smile love hubby xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Seren

Seren

16 years ago

Thanks

Now go to bed lol I appreciate you reading this one love ya Wifey x x x x x ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")
xena465

xena465

16 years ago

It made me think of...

Other countries that celebrate in costume and dance, their rituals and beliefs of their home-land...Nice images JayCee...even if I see beyond your thoughts...that's the beauty of poetry, ones own interpretations…I hope that’s okay! Rosina xena465
Seren

Seren

16 years ago

Dear Rosina

To see beyond the poem is a gift, to see through the poem into the other world a miracle ... we have one of the oldest cultures on the planet ... the corroboree is really an amazing dance to see I have many friends of aboriginal decent and their raw talent at most anything always amazes me, I have been lucky enough to hear and see first hand some of their stories ...which shouldnt ever be forgotten ... their heritage is rich and full I just hope this adds to their history ... love and hugs Jayne-Chloe x x x ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")
Kailashana

Kailashana

16 years ago

Most of my life has been

Most of my life has been living in the shadow of the rainbow serpent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKVRW5L50TA In The Time Before Sunrise In the time before sunrise Before the sons and daughters of the moon awakened, Bare trees beheld the thirsting of flowers And so righteousness was born On the fleeting hoof of chance. A mockingbird understood this from his perch High atop a pine tree in the sacred grove of mankind, While Deer Feet sat with Wisdom Wolf, And listened to the wind carry Songs of Meadowlark To oceans near and afar. The Colours of Rainbows soon seeped in, haunted the Breaths in the mysteries of all Native Peoples who Took the mysteries of colours to heart, And so fire was rediscovered Reborn in the Spirit of Nature, In the Love of Humanity's Soul. 2005 "Just as what you dream is your own and no one else can observe it, so the world you see is your own." ~ Nisargadatta
Kailashana

Kailashana

16 years ago

Sometimes we feel an instant

Sometimes we feel an instant kinship. I suspect it's because we come from the same dreamtime... Others have their own and it takes some talking, some fighting, some much ado about nothing to meet and rest on the shadow of the rainbow serpent. Sooner or later we do rest. Love speaks all languages in the mystic's heart. ~ "Just as what you dream is your own and no one else can observe it, so the world you see is your own." ~ Nisargadatta
Seren

Seren

16 years ago

Dearest Mum

Thanks for both your comments on this one .. I have gone back to my roots and I am writing about the country I love so much ... the art of the chant in the dance ... oh to know their secrets the poetry i could write but such secrets are not for me I am the white princess standing on the outside watching ... you know I knew lots of koori's growing up and all the older men called me their white princess, I was cheeky with a lot of spirit and wild as fuck they loved me for it oh the stories I have yet to tell lol ... love you Ma sorry for rambling love and big hugs Jayne-Chloe x x x ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")
Beauregard

Beauregard

16 years ago

so whimsical Jayne

I really needed this heart-warming write today. Just yesterday I was feeling so chipper, so warm, so okay, like everything would be all right, but I suddenly lost that warmth today. I am so glad that despite all this turmoil here you can write so lovingly. "a voice of lost chants drifted through a string of camphor laurels I slipped my shadow between a sacrament of the rites" I just love that stanza! I think perhaps 4.1 would read a little smoother as "as ghosts of the past", but I'm not entirely certain. It sounds nice either way. Just an idea to ponder. I can't seem to find anything else to offer as far as critique goes. :) Kelsey
Seren

Seren

16 years ago

Dear Kels

thanks so mcuh for your lovely comment this ones about the aboriginal corroboree and I need that chant in there somewhere but i will look and see if i cant include that somewhere else though ghosts of the past is a well used line ? I can see what you mean ... I am so glad it made you feel better and lift you up it was meant to be a haunting from the past that wasnt fearful ... but I am so happy you liked it love and big hugs Jayne-Chloe x x x ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")
P

pleiades

16 years ago

a write like this is alaways

a write like this is alaways going to resonate with me i've never seen a live corroboree, but sometimes used to sit with some koories on the foreshore in cairns, where they would gather of an evening to cook fish they had caught the chant in the corroboree is mesmeric...makes you wish you knew their dreamtime stories any write about this great south land, her history, her culture, her sunburnt beauty, will always move me i love this land with a fierce passion... i'm guessing you do too great write seren "caribberie"-i couldn't find it anywhere... did you mean corroboree?
Seren

Seren

16 years ago

I dont know if I seen was a

I dont know if I seen was a traditional corroboree that was a long time ago but its stayed with me forever the movement the light from the fire the chanting was mesemerising, I have a lot of koori friends and I have been lucky to be allowed into their culture a little , caribberie is the aborginal word for corroboree,corroboree is the english version of the word ... and I thought to do a real justice to them I would use their language not our bastardised version ... so glad you liked this one ... I have done a whole series of australiana poetry I hope you like them all as much ... will be posting them as they are finished over the next couple of months there are 15 of them in all love and big hugs jayCee x x x ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")
Seren

Seren

16 years ago

whenever you see a word you

whenever you see a word you think maybe wrong just check the bottom of the poem sometimes I leave a note and I think I left one on this one ... JayCee ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")
Candlewitch

Candlewitch

16 years ago

Dear Jayne

What a stunning view into some of the Australian culture with this poem. Sorry I am late getting to it. Love, Cat
Seren

Seren

16 years ago

My Dearest Cat

first of fifteen and this one was the easiest to write it just came from nowhere ... I am so happy that you liked this one its the beginning of a series my first real attempt at one anyway, it was time to tell my views of our roots and the way I see our country, I am passionate about Australia and hope the love I have for her comes through these pictures ive made of her love and big hugs JayCee x x ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")