Clarity is swallowed by a ripple
… drowned in the disturbance of a tipple
A saturated image floats lightly;
embellishing a surface level scene.
An occasional glimmer shines brightly;
describing an accentuated sheen.
From such fluid thoughts and wet connections
comes a more reflective contemplation.
A pool of deeper thoughts, recollections
that arise from liquid incubation.
Still waters give us reason to reflect;
but thinly formed, shallow is their lasting.
One slip, one drip, and gone is the effect
of mirrored truth; perfect in its casting.
• clarity is swallowed by a ripple,
• drowned in the disturbance of a tipple.
© Tim Grace, February 2010 (Edited: July 2020)
About the Creator
Tim Grace
A first impression has a lasting effect - it makes a notable difference. In a subtle way that’s who I am as a poet. A ‘first impression’ looking for the gentle ‘twist’ that draws attention to a novel observation.
Comments (2)
This was so profound and beautifully written! Loved your poem!
To the reader: Watching the dynamics of ripples in action is fascinating. The way ripples bounce off each other and merge into new concentric patterns is poetry in motion. But the impact of a ripple on a liquid surface breaks the mirror-like qualities. As ripples expand across a surface they blur clarity and replace a perfect image with a disturbed and distorted impression of the form at source. To the poet: In this sonnet we look through the image to contemplate a deeper thought; there is something below the surface worthy of attention. In delving deeper, the poem introduces the impact of a ripple. One drip and the unity of an image is disturbed. Over time I learnt to separate the writing of the final couplet from the body of the work; often with a night's sleep. Creating some space in time allows me to step back and observe then summarize the work from a useful distance.