Poem of the Day: “Gathering Glass” by Lauren McBride

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review is pleased to present “Gathering Glass” by Lauren McBride.  Mrs. McBride finds inspiration in faith, nature, molecular biology (she is a former researcher) and membership in the Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA). Twice nominated for the 2014 SFPA Dwarf Stars Award, her work has appeared in various speculative, nature, and children's publications including: Songs of Eretz Poetry E-zine, Dreams and Nightmares, Tales of the Talisman, and The Magazine of Speculative Poetry. She shares a love of laughter, science and the ocean with her husband and two children.

Gathering Glass

Lauren McBride

  

Nestled among round pebbles -

sea-washed scraps of glass

surf-smoothed and frosted,

their former shine and purpose                         

lost and forgotten.                       

Green, white and brown

stashed in pockets around

colors more rare: turquoise,

pink, two cobalt, one purple;

still seeking red. Pieces plain                              

and unremarkable, but then,

half buried, a bottle bottom.

And just once, a sand-filled vial,

the stopper missing.

These my favorite finds - 

fragments ridged or imprinted,

worn letters and numbers

a clue to their origin.

If pieced back together,

what stories could they tell?

Poet’s Notes:  In "Gathering Glass", I share my love of collecting beach glass. I always end up with pockets full of plain pieces, mostly white, but far more interesting are the rare colors and those with some clue as to their origin. I often wonder how the fragments end up where I find them.

Editor’s Note:  This one has a nice Imagist feel to it ala William Carlos Williams.  I especially like the question at the end.