As I lie at rest - A Chant Poem for Mindful...

As I lie at rest

As I lie at rest on a patch of clover

My thoughts fly home

To a faraway land

A land much loved

Full of wondrous things

With green hills

And lofty mountain peaks

With merry streams

And mighty rivers

As I lie at rest on a patch of clover

With the sea as blue

As your eyes, my love

A land where the swallow

Nests in mellow spring

As I lie at rest on a patch of clover

Where summer fields

On harvest colours feast

Where autumn clothes

Are gold and rusty red

As I lie at rest on a patch of clover

Where wintry white

Might freeze your feet

Where the old kitchen stove

Warms your hungry heart

As I lie at rest on a patch of clover

Where your dear folks

Shower you with love

This land at times so wild

Spewing hate and blood

As I lie at rest on a patch of clover

P.S., The refrain is the first line from Banjo Paterson’s poem Black Swan.

Chant Poetry

Any number of stanzas
Any number of lines in each stanza, but consistent throughout poem
Each stanza contains the same repeating line in the same position throughout poem

Comments: 28

Karen E. Feb 20, 2013, 6:15am UTC

So lovely!

JOHN BECK Feb 20, 2013, 7:17am UTC

Yes.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:03pm UTC

Thank you, Karen and John.

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Bernard C. Feb 20, 2013, 7:04am UTC

Very nicely put and those clover beds are really in abundance - which is a good thing

Thank you for sharing and submitting to
The Surreal Circus.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:04pm UTC

Thank you, Bernard. Those clover beds are in my backyard.

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Richard Thuss Feb 20, 2013, 8:54am UTC

Very nice

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:05pm UTC

Thank you, Richard.

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A. F. Stewart Feb 20, 2013, 1:53pm UTC

An enchanting poem.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:06pm UTC

Thank you, Anita.

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lynn a. Feb 20, 2013, 4:06pm UTC

There seems to be much love for this cherished country. Lovely imagery, and the truthfulness of best and worst makes it even more profound.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:16pm UTC

I lived there for the first 27 years of my life and never thought of leaving it until the year before my husband and I left! You've picked up the pain expressed in the last stanza. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment.

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Bill's Spirit Feb 20, 2013, 5:08pm UTC

The feeling of being in a restful state certainly came clearly across. I feel lulled.

Good one, Irina.

Priya P. Feb 20, 2013, 10:22pm UTC

I cuncur!! Just beautiful

Featured with all the other prestegious writers in the Triple Name Club.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:19pm UTC

Thank you, Bill, for your lovely comment.

Thank you, Priya. The feature is much appreciated.

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Kathryn Flynn Feb 20, 2013, 11:49pm UTC

so so so beautiful, irina.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:19pm UTC

Thank you so much, Kathryn.

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Susan Budig - Mindful Poet Feb 21, 2013, 3:34pm UTC

So many poetic/literary techniques: anaphora, rhyme, repetition, ghazal-like with how the stanzas seem stringed together yet standing alone.

Mindful Poetry has covered fifty-three forms. Almost all of them involve some degree of repetition. The Chant form takes repeating to a higher level as you’ve shown here. Thank you for submitting to our group. This poem is featured.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:26pm UTC

Thank you so much, Susan. I must confess, I had to look up "anaphora".

I'm really grateful you featured this poem because it's a tribute to the land that raised me.

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Mustafa Demiri Feb 21, 2013, 8:04pm UTC

Lovely, to the highest degree!

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:30pm UTC

Oh I do appreciate your comment, Mustafa. My native land deserves a lovely poem.

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Ann Marcaida Feb 22, 2013, 1:54pm UTC

This would work really well as song. You've captured the spirit of homesick Irish emigrants!

Thanks for sharing with Gather's Luminous Writers and Artists.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:38pm UTC

Thanks for the idea, Ann. Perhaps an Irish musician could write the music! We, the nations of former Yugoslavia, have a lot in common with the Irish.

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Angie O. Feb 24, 2013, 10:03pm UTC

Very nice with good imagery.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:39pm UTC

Thank you, Angie.

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Kingston Kaprinski Feb 25, 2013, 12:30pm UTC

A chant indeed--a soothing song full of melody and harmony.

Irina Dimitric Feb 25, 2013, 11:40pm UTC

Thank you, Kingston, for your lovely comment.

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Susan Budig - Mindful Poet Feb 25, 2013, 11:55pm UTC

I had to come back because I was unsure about your use of the verb to lie.

You got it right! But for reference, I looked here.

I hope I'm not offending with my skepticism. It's more that it's so very common to mix up this verb and since it was integral to your poem, I wanted to be sure you were putting your best (and correct) foot forward. :-)

Irina Dimitric Feb 26, 2013, 3:53am UTC

I'm not offended, Susan. I know you only want to help us do our best.

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As I lie at rest - A Chant Poem for Mindful Poetry (FOTM for February)

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Comments: 28

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