dVerse Poetry – Prosery – The Rock Cries Out
Frank at dVerse has invited us to take the line “The rock cries out to us today, You may stand upon me, but do not hide your face.” and use in for a prose piece of 144 words.
Photo: granite outcrop at Billyacatting with a Sheoak making good with a crevice.
“The rock cries out to us today, You may stand upon me, but do not hide your face.” Maya Angelou
Redemption Rock
We behaved as tourists, observing, consuming, enjoying, but never once holding a sense of belonging or offering something resembling connection even though that space so clearly cried out for it. Now that the tide is turning and ancient forms are slowly taking their leave, we face a new, daunting prospect. Too late to redress the past of our blithe and callow turning away. Indeed, we are no longer at our leisure, no longer possessed of our sure identity, positing who we are and what we might do as if there were no words of opposition or external accountabilities. Gone are our hermetically sealed worlds. We stand at the threshold forced to face ourselves, and even the rock cries out to us today, You may stand upon me, but do not hide your face. Even in the face of death, nature still reconciles us.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Paul, pvcann.com
Eloquent and moving! I love how you used the sentence both in your prose and as an epigram! Great write!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Frank, very kind indeed, and encouraging. I love Angelou’s work, and I found this really engaging.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done Paul!
Even in the face of death, nature still reconciles us.
How true this is…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Many thanks for that Dwight 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You ae welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So ture, and so important to say. Thank you Paul!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always with a great pleasure, Paul! Thank you for bringing interesting and wonderful thoughts to us. Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. Nature is iften what soithes us in the face of death. I live this
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, that is a very personal connect, thank you for sharing that.
LikeLike
This is so moving, give what is happening. If we could just take that kindness of nature and convert it into action.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, that would be amazing, I’m with that, thank you Bjorn.
LikeLike
exquisite, well said!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks for that Kate. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like what you’ve done with the tourist metaphor, that our relationship to the land is as a tourist. The land is there for our amusement, and we bear no connection to it or responsibility for it–until the rock cries out to us. I hadn’t thought of it in quite that way before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It has bothered me for so long now, and I have wondered how it is we can treat nature so badly, that it came to that we are just so disconnected. Thank you for your transparent and reflective response Liz.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What I find ironic about where I live in northern New England is that there are some areas of this region where the forests have completely reclaimed all the damage that was done by farming and logging. But–and this is a big but–the damage that is being done now in the southern parts of of the region is irreparable. The forest can’t reclaim strip malls, convenience stores, and storage warehouses.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, though last year I saw some astounding photos of industrial and commercial buildings overrun by forrest and jungle, blew my mind. But yes, I too lament the damage being done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really nice writing – excellent opening sentence and great command of the language. I loved the picture you chose. It’s so important to look at what we’ve done, even if its too late to stave off the inevitable catastrophe. However, I think it’s important that future generations know that recognizing,seeing and speaking out are not enough. Doing is everything, from the moment we first notice…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely so, and thank you for your thoughtful response, very much appreciated. We must be active at all times.
LikeLike
“Gone are our hermetically sealed worlds.”
A statement of absolute truth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Resonance, thank you for highlighting that.
LikeLike
Powerful and beautiful (photo and reflections), Paul.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for those thoughtful words Charlotte
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true and what destruction have we brought – there is another rock on which we stand that requires that we don’t hide our face of peace, love healing to the world of hate
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely so, yes to that.
LikeLike