Tuesday Poem: “Desert Bloom” by Ciarán Fox
Desert Bloom
a desert blooms in you
sands the colour of rust
run through the surgeon’s hands
there are no more
thorns in your garden
but moisture has no place to go
you open your floodgates
but all that comes to your
cupped hands, tumbling
like dry petals from your strange,
unlooked-for rose
pot-pourri tears
little pieces of paper with the words
“cancer”
…………………….“fear”
…………………………………….“pain”
a desert bloom, in you
sands the colour of rust
etch roses in your hourglass
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© Ciarán Fox
Reproduced here with permission.
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About the Poem: The Poet’s Note
Before I started writing Desert Bloom a central image of a garden in a desert and a desert in a garden was clear in my mind. I found myself looking at the page like it was a block of stone with a poem inside it, if only I could carve it out. It’s unusual for me to have such a strong, complete idea of the poem at the outset and I was terrified I would shatter it with ham-fisted chiselling. I wanted to address the very unwelcome family elephant of cancer which was once again making its presence felt in my immediate family and I wanted to do it without making it feel like ‘made for TV’ disease-of-the-week fodder. The particular form of this cancer was requiring a total hysterectomy and was happening so far away, amidst the red sands on the far side of Australia. I felt helpless to offer real support but needed to express that the implications of such a fundamental change for a woman was not lost on me as I was expecting the birth of my first child.
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About the Poet:
Ciarán Fox is a poet, writer, photographer and film maker, co-editor of Catalyst literary arts journal and well known Christchurch MC — and in the latter capacity will be hosting “Survivor Poetry” at the forthcoming Christchurch Writers’ Festival. Ciarán lives in Lyttelton with his family and has a background in youth health, community development and the arts.
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I love Ciarán’s work.
I really like the colour and texture in this poem. Great to read Ciaran’s work here. And the author commentary which I found very moving.
I like the honesty in this poem. And yet Ciaran has managed to be sensitive and delicate in his handling of this very difficult topic. Great imagery surrounding the desert the roses, the sand and the hourglass…a beautiful poem.
I found that there was a boundlessness to this poem that was particularly moving – with the desert, sands, tears. It is truly moving; thanks for sharing, Helen & Ciaran.
Am glad you’re all enjoying the poem.:) And to add to Emma’s comment, as well as liking Ciarán’s work he is also an all-round great guy. 😉