Iktsuarpok*

by Tanya Southey   Sep 15, 2018


There are gentle Spring days
when the air hushes
the chilled land back
from the cold
and the hollow blue, sky hums
to a tune that was written
a million years ago

And still in that peace
we are pulled to the door,
habit and necessity demanding
we scan the horizon,
the gate, the threshold
for the arrival of someone,
someone we have never met
the unborn child, the missed lover
the parent we wanted,
the friends we needed, the ones
we’ve had who have gone ahead

Restless, waiting for the pieces
of ourselves to return home

© Tanya Southey
#52words52weeks

* - “Iktsuarpok” – an Inuit word from The School of Life – Untranslatable Words. The definition is “a feeling of edgy anticipation that makes one keep on looking out the window to see if an expected visitor is coming up the path.”

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Latest Comments

  • 6 years ago

    by Maple Tree

    This poem, with its nature tones and the visual display of resting your forehead upon the window pane is marvelous. Truly brings up memories and thoughts to the readers mind.

    Beautifully crafted and just elegant!

    • 6 years ago

      by Tanya Southey

      Thank you so much. I love that you saw me resting my forehead on the window pane when I did not write that. Means it was really visual. Thank you!

  • 6 years ago

    by Megan Chapman

    Congratulations Tanya. This is beautiful. A well deserved win!

  • 6 years ago

    by Mark

    Lovely win!

  • 6 years ago

    by Ben Pickard

    A well deserved win, skillfully written.

    All the best,
    Ben

  • 6 years ago

    by Poet on the Piano

    I learned a new word in this and I felt the anticipation, the restlessness both in body and mind. This kind of read spiritual to me in the hope we place and the faith we seek in others or even nature itself. Looking up to the horizon for some answers or signs.

    Those last few lines spoke volumes. Perhaps, we are waiting to feel complete, but it's the completion of ourselves. Of accepting each part of ourselves we've cast away. That notion of home is something comforting yet something we all may long for. The way home feels, not a physical place but a feeling we carry. One of belonging.

    Congrats on the win!

    • 6 years ago

      by Tanya Southey

      Thank you so much! What you have written was exactly what was going through my mind when I was writing this. Really appreciate you taking the time to write to me. Funnily enough, after this word, I picked the word "Horizons" for my #52words52weeks poetry writing challenge. So week 38 is more than likely going to be a linked thought.

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