Slow Sloth
I am to you
Margaret Simon, 2022
scribbles of God.
My two toes
touch the heavens
on leaves like tea
left behind for someone to read,
a lie between sun and moon.
I am blind to you.
As I slowly pass through
parting seas of green,
only the fruit follows me.
I know heaven is green
as all sorrow in amorphous shape.
I neglect symbols,
and drink from mud.
I stop and sleep
because you are always there.
I wrote this poem after Swift Hummingbird by Ray Bradbury. On Ethical ELA, Jennifer Guyor Jowett introduced antonymic translation in this week’s Open Write. Ray Bradbury wrote of the hummingbird which immediately made me think of the sloth we saw in Costa Rica last week. It was fun to write a poem about it.
Molly Hogan, fellow Inkling, sent me a Summer Poem Swap. Her tranquil poem sent me the blessing I needed along with some homemade (by Molly) strawberry jam and other goodies. Thanks, Molly, for the full-of-care package.
Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret, I love seeing the sloth in your video. It is such a graceful acrobat. You poem is beautiful too. So many great phrases and lines. Here are some of mine…
“scribbles of God”
“touch the heavens
on leaves like tea
left behind for someone to read”
“parting seas of green”
“I neglect symbols,
and drink from mud”
Molly’s blessing poem is precious, isn’t it? How lovely to “wend your way home enriched
content
and at peace”
Amen and amen!
Oh, how I love that sloth! And what soul-restorative gifts from Molly (poetry and otherwise)!
Margaret, I love that sloth poem and especially those “parting seas of green”‘ and the following fruit. You really took the prompt and ran with it! I’m looking forward to reading more travel-inspired poems from you. Also, I’m delighted you enjoyed your swap goodies. 🙂
Molly is a wonder at nurturing with arts of all kinds. And, jam! YUM!
I am forever in love with “scribbles of God” and “my two toes” They are perfect lines right next to each other. Thanks for helping me add Costa Rica to my bucket list. I really need to go see sloths, in person, now.
That jam looks delicious! What a great care package. I find sloths fascinating. Your slow moving verse was perfect for your subject. How fortunate to see a sloth in the wild.
So many lines in your sloth poem have me thinking, pausing and dwelling. They’re lovely – and often unexpected. Thank-you for this treasure. And also for making my tummy rumble, with your delicious jammy pic. How sweet is Molly? Her poem is perfect for you!
I’m so happy you were finally able to get to Costa Rica! And it’s no surprise that you found poetic inspiration there. I could watch your sloth video all day. What a fascinating animal! Molly’s poem is perfect for you, and that jam looks scrumptious!
What a wonderful creature and you captured it well, especially their s-l-0-w movement–love the ending two lines–and their unique upside down slow-motion dance among the branches. Molly’s poem feels like a warm and gentle hug to wrap around you, thanks for sharing all!
I had no idea that sloths are found in trees! I love the line “I know that heaven is green” — and will sit with this for some time. Thank you also for sharing Molly’s poem/blessing. It’s beautiful.
[…] poem that Molly Hogan sent me had a similar theme of peace and tranquility. Are these poets trying to tell me something? […]