Air
by Anna Sthetic
I wish I were able to pinch the air apart with my fingertips and tease the secret whispers out of it. I wish I could discern who had breathed it in, what sins and good deeds had battered it about, what molecules its component atoms had been bonded into previously.
I wish the nitrogen knew when and where it would be fixed, split into fertilizer by lightning strikes or nematode worms or the Haber process. I wish it were able to tell me, share its future and its past as I pinched it apart, catching it out of the breeze before it entered my lungs.
I wish I were able to pull apart the air and persuade it to give up its secrets in minute whispers.
I wish that my touch were light enough, my fingers deft enough, my fingers sharp enough to catch the minute whispers which contain the secrets of the air.
I wish I were able.
I am unable.
When I try, I clutch only handfuls of nothing.
—
(For the Daily Post Challenge. Do not like English subjunctives. DO NOT LIKE. Clumsy. Ugly. But it was interesting to try.)
Cleverly done – satisfying end (albeit unsatisfying for you)
Thank you :-)
I wish that too. Beautiful.
Beautifully written and so poetic!
It was sound of music flying on air ! liked it !
<3 this
We do heaps of Umlauts when using subjunctives:
Wenn ich ein Vöglein wär und auch zwei Flüglein hätt, flög ich zu Dir…
I can’t decide if that makes the subjunctive better or worse! :p (I loved Latin subjunctives at school. English ones just sound clunky in comparison.)
Thank you for this refreshing mixture of poetry, science, hope, and reality. Reading your poem was like a breath of fresh air.
I am glad! Thank you, and you are very welcome. :-)
Beautiful rhythm … you have a mastery of words. Wonderful.
Thank you very much :-)
Just beautiful!
Michelle
See our history plantation
http://www.virginiaplantation.wordpress.com
Loved the poetry of it. Congrats!
I love a simplistic post.
Some people post thousands of meaningless words, which take ages to plow through.
And yet, you have said so much more here, with so few words.
Well done.
https://cartoonmick.wordpress.com/
Cheers
Mick
When I try, I clutch only handfuls of nothing but air, right?
Right. But to the pads of your fingers if there isn’t a breeze, that mostly feels like nothing. :p
(Or, possibly not right. I’ve not been awake for long, and I can’t decide whether or not my instinct that ‘clutch’ has an implication of being able to *hold on* to the thing is right or not. The narrator is clutching *at* handfuls of air, sure. But I’m not sure they could be said to actually be clutching anything at all. :p)
(I love how even at 7.40am I refuse to be out-pedanted. :p)
Good point! http://www.segmation.com
Wow, so wonderfully written. Really awesome post and congrats on being Freshly Pressed! Keep writing, you have quite a knack for it!
I find it interesting that your inspiration came from the Daily Post Challenge. I’ve always avoided paying attention to that, because I feel it destroys originality in blogging and spreads sameness. It’s like those Blogthings, you know? There to create something from nothing for the sake of having posted something. This post helps prove me wrong, though. Very well done.
Thank you. :-)
My instinct is that if someone’s responding to EVERY SINGLE DPCHALLENGE they’re probably going to find it challenging (heh) not to churn stuff out for the sake of having written it, like you say. But responding to a specific post that brain-sparks you in the right way is just like responding to any other brain-sparks you catch from anywhere else, no?
(Plus, I love their grammar breakdowns/explanations.)
Fully agree with that point of view on the DP challenge. And I also love the grammar breakdowns ! All the grammar nerds in the house, say yeaaaaahhh !!!
(stole that line from Jon Stewart, I must say)
Also, nice post ! :)
Good post. I want a breath of fresh air (as you know, the air in the city is not good…) Thanks for sharing it.
Love this! And many congrats on being FP-ed! :)
I wish I could have a camera that could record air then instead of looking at the picture of my memories, I could breathe them.
beautiful post !
That’s a lovely idea – to breathe memories. :-)
Ha. Great post. You know the air without having to pull it apart. Bravo.
Beautiful, original, and interesting. Love it!
And congratulations on the FP! :)
Beautiful! Congrats on being freshly pressed.
Love this! Congrats on FP. :)
I love this post so much! Just found your blog due to freshly pressed :-)
Simple, yet full of imagination…very nice read!