Will-o-the-wisp a weeping willow
swift mischief off a twisted silk road.
The lure of Lucifer’s coal convolutes
flickers with foolish expectation.
A beguiling blaze, delusive delight
wayfarers wander beyond the well-trod
seduced like sailors sung into wrecks.
The more I read this, the more it appeals…a beguiling blaze…I love this image.
Makes me wnat to get out my toasting fork and join in..but I sense a few layers going on here and i need to read it more. Thanks Saradah.:-)
Hi Saradha – This poem is luscious – the words rolling around in and pushing out of the mouth – I read it literally at first, forgetting the title – took it that the speaker of the poem was trying(and failing) to find a way to describe the wonders of the blazing willow – but in the end it’s too hard and s/he and other ‘viewers’ and the poem itself crash and burn. It felt like a poem about the wonders of nature defeating ordinary people and language. Then I saw the title and realised the whole thing is probably a metaphor for hope and therefore a much sadder poem. Ahhh.
Thank you. I came across the phrase “will-o-the-wisp” and wanted to know where it came from. It was interesting research. I’ve stolen a few words from Milton here and loved playing with sounds.