The Archaeological Gardens at Giardini-Naxos

7 March 2018

The stones are overgrown with clover now,
Drowned by daisies, fresh cape sorrel too;
Orange or lemon globes gleam from each bough;
Mankind’s Old’s usurped by Nature’s New.

To think such careful craft should come to this,
We muse while roaming at our modern ease.
God’s art will conquer all our artifice
And leave the rubble to the brooding bees.

 

In the Villa Communale, Taormina

9 March 2018

The bushes shimmer, shedding dawn’s dull shower:
Jasmine, trumpet vine conspire to join
The bougainvillea in fiery flower
Under Sun’s still cloud-stained glowing coin.

I drink the scents in, greet the gurgling doves,
The bold birds singing in the cypresses:
The whole world seems to teem with little loves.
I strain to ken what every creature says.

With softened roar, the waves caress the shore.
Take your tone from us, I hear them say.
Quell your worldly quests, your lust for more.
Make all the music God can grant this day.

Pray that everyone on earth may find
This morning’s mirthful mood and restful mind.

 

William Ruleman recently visited Sicily for the first time. He likes to write about his travels, as in Munich Poems (Cedar Springs Books, 2016).

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12 Responses

  4. Lorna Davis

    Wonderful poems! Such a combination of the beauty of the moment and that transcending, long view of life, and every word perfect. These were a joy to read.

    Reply
  6. C.B. Anderson

    Superb! I understand how difficult it is to make a poem seem easy, as though it had written itself. It requires a deftness that comes from long practice (and probably long study of other classic works). I thought Lorna’s comments about the “long view” & “every word perfect” were spot on.

    Reply
  8. David Watt

    These are both beautiful poems. “The Archaeological Gardens at Giardini-Naxos” particularly impresses me due to its easy flow and abundant imagery.

    Reply
  9. J. Simon Harris

    The first poem (“Archaeological Gardens”) is really good. Great second stanza, especially the last two lines. Reminds me of some of the poems of the Japanese poet Basho. You might enjoy his work if you haven’t read it. Nicely done!

    Reply
  10. William Ruleman

    Thank you all for your helpful, kind, and encouraging comments. I greatly appreciate your taking the time to respond to my work. It is highly gratifying to find myself in the company of so many fine poets. Indeed, I am awed—even overwhelmed—by the rich abundance and variety of work appearing on the Society website and in its print journal. In fact, it tends to be the case that before I have time to articulate a meaningful response to one day’s entry—one that will halfway do justice to it and its author—another post comes along to claim the attention. But this is also one of the marvels of the Society site: if you miss one train, there is always another to catch (that is, if you are fast enough!).

    Reply
  11. James Sale

    Yes, I agree: beautiful and evocative work. I especially love that last line: And leave the rubble to the brooding bees. Brooding bees: that is so good.

    Reply

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