Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Poem: "folded wings"

This poem came out of yesterday's Poetry Fishbowl.  It was inspired by a prompt from marina_bonomi and sponsored by minor_architect.  Origami is a traditional art created by folding paper, and is associated with oriental magic in some legends.


folded wings


origami cranes
lift their paper heads to bring
health, peace, and long life

tigers flick striped tails,
threatening swift death with a
thousand paper cuts

green pheasants ferry
thoughts and souls and emotions
then fold paper wings

paper dragons guard
maps, deeds, contracts, bonds, and cash:
strange painted treasures

origami mage
folds her hands inside her sleeves,
hiding a small smile

Tags: crafts, cyberfunded creativity, fishbowl, magic, poem, poetry, reading, writing
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  • 18 comments
jenny_evergreen

jenny_evergreen

March 3 2010, 19:17:14 UTC 11 years ago

Oh, man, now I both want to BE an origami mage and read a series of a novels about one, which is a tad more likely. :)
ysabetwordsmith

Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

March 3 2010, 19:49:33 UTC 11 years ago

I'm glad this poem touched you so much.
jenny_evergreen

Re: Wow!

jenny_evergreen

March 3 2010, 20:05:20 UTC 11 years ago

It's times like these I wish I'd been a writer after all...I'd love to see this character and her adventures. :)
ysabetwordsmith

Well...

ysabetwordsmith

11 years ago

  • New comment
jenny_evergreen

Re: Well...

jenny_evergreen

11 years ago

  • New comment
ladymondegreen

ladymondegreen

March 3 2010, 20:07:39 UTC 11 years ago

There is a book called Paper Mage on this topic, but I think it's a stand-alone.
jenny_evergreen

jenny_evergreen

March 4 2010, 03:36:14 UTC 11 years ago

Cool! I'll check it out, thank you!
minor_architect

minor_architect

March 3 2010, 19:23:20 UTC 11 years ago

I'm glad I could sponsor this one. Very nice! :)
ysabetwordsmith

Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

March 3 2010, 19:48:53 UTC 11 years ago

I'm glad you like this.
marina_bonomi

marina_bonomi

March 3 2010, 21:21:30 UTC 11 years ago

I was ninjaed in sponsoring this one but I'm really glad it came out of my prompt, and yes, I too want to know more about her. I want her to have a name, a face and a story.

And, oh boy! There is origami (folded paper) and there is kirigami (cut paper), both forms of traditional art. I think I have my prompt for the next fishbowl already...
minor_architect

minor_architect

March 4 2010, 01:17:33 UTC 11 years ago

I was ninjaed in sponsoring this one but I'm really glad it came out of my prompt

Oops! I hope I didn't step on your toes by sponsoring this poem, instead? I did check again the next day (in U.S. hours, anyway) to see if you would get to it first. :)
marina_bonomi

marina_bonomi

11 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Hmm...

ysabetwordsmith

March 4 2010, 01:23:47 UTC 11 years ago

If you and minor_architect are amenable, I could list you both as co-sponsors of this poem. All it would take is a little behind-the-scenes change in bookkeeping to indicate half toward this, half toward general fund.

You are certainly welcome to chip in more ideas about the origami mage!
marina_bonomi

Re: Hmm...

marina_bonomi

11 years ago

  • New comment
oakwind

oakwind

March 4 2010, 17:20:16 UTC 11 years ago

I really love the imagery here and how it connects to the particular origami pattern. My daughter-in-law makes cranes and Kawasaki roses. Thanks for sharing. And while it doesn't mean much at this point you are one of the people on my list for the time I have extra money (I am sure it will happen one of these days:)
ysabetwordsmith

Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

March 4 2010, 17:45:32 UTC 11 years ago

By all means, point your daughter-in-law to this poem, if you think she would enjoy it.

Any time you have an extra dollar or few is fine. Meanwhile you can help by giving me prompts and by posting about the Poetry Fishbowl so other folks find out about it.

Deleted comment

ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

March 4 2010, 23:50:54 UTC 11 years ago

I needed something to connect the disparate pieces and show how they came to their power.

Thank goodness she didn't know this pattern:
http://www.neatorama.com/2007/07/28/cthulhu-origami/
filkferengi

filkferengi

March 8 2010, 22:39:41 UTC 11 years ago

Have you been listening to "Cranes Over Hiroshima" again?

:)