Friday, July 13, 2012

Bad Signs and Omens


Face in a window, window cracked....bad sign...

It's Friday the 13th - superstitions abound. Mustn't rock a rocking chair if no one is in it. Mustn't open an umbrella indoors. When I was in Rome several years ago, I wrote a poem about "bad signs" - all a part of the world of superstition. You'll find it below. And don't miss the post (and wonderful illustrations) of my fellow blogger, Julie Paschkis, over on Books Around the Table - she's thinking Friday he 13th, too!




BAD SIGNS
 
Yellow hen in the left hand,
left hand touching dead fish,
dead fish on a white plate:
Bad signs, sorrow-bait.
Listen for bells, don't wait.

Bells on the right: Bad night.
Bells on the left: Love in doubt.
Bells straight ahead: Watch out.
Bad sign. Touch salt.

Salt spilled in the morning hours,
flowers tossed in the afternoon:
Tears soon, sighs soon.
Tall flowers in a short vase,
black sky: Hide your face.

Face in a window, window cracked:
Bad sign, worry and waste.
Bread in half, in half again,
crumbs in a circle: No friends.
Circles in a square, squares in a line,
lines in a circle: Bad signs.

Circling swallows, no rain:
Roll the dice. Try again.

Roll the dice...try again....


Dead fish on a white plate...bad sign....
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 The Poetry Friday round-up today is over at CHECK IT OUT, so head over there to...check it out.

7 comments:

  1. Oh, that's my kind of poem, Julie. I love the way you take the warning cadences and move them over the lines. Brilliance!

    Steven Withrow

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  2. I'm not buying any bells after reading your poem. Nice one!

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  3. Just be sure to keep all bells behind you, Douglas!
    P.S. Every bad omen in the poem is imaginary (depending on your state of mind) so I think you and bells should be okay.

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  4. I second Steven's comment -- great poem! Thanks for sharing it.

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  5. Oooh, so many ways of thinking about bells, lines and signs! I third Steven's comment, too - love the "beat" of this poem, Julie.

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  6. I was just going to ask if these omens are real - in Rome, maybe? - so thank you for answering! I really like this.

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  7. Superstition is a great topic and your poem does it justice. Even so-called sophisticated people hang on to a few of the superstitions brought along from the past. And, some of the sports superstitions are totally unbelievable. (No changing/washing of underwear during the playoffs, or what-have-you. Eeew.)

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