Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The Pearl


One thing he didn’t say
about the pearl of great
price is what force and
energy and friction are
needed to shape it and
mold it and polish it.
Otherwise, it’s just an
ugly piece of grit,
suitable for irritating
the stomachs of oysters.

This poem is submitted for One Shot Wednesday, sponsored by OneStopPoetry. The links will be live at 4 p.m. central time today.

23 comments:

Louise Gallagher said...

I like this series Glynn -- at least it feels like the start of a series to me.

Word images connecting through a
photo that stirs my mind and awakens my thinking.

Unknown said...

This poem is very valuable also...thanks Bro'

mohan37 said...

Great poem and lesson :)

MTJ said...

Hi Glynn,

Even without the picture, the words of this poem create a mental image of the actions taking place.

The words, force, energy, friction, shape, mold, and polish all give me images of the pearl's evolutionary process.

Without that effort, well...there's the Otherwise.

Blessings and peace.

MTJ

Jerry said...

Great insight. Keep the poems coming. Like your style. May we never just remain an irritating piece of grit.

Maureen said...

I like your use of action verbs and that this poem has several meanings; it's layered, like the shell itself subject to the ocean's detritus and rough treatment.

HisFireFly said...

Force, energy and friction, yet in His mighty hands, so gentle as to change us but not destroy us.

Beautiful work Glynn!

Linda said...

I have been thinking about such things lately. You have put it so well Glynn. I would like it to be gentle and easy - but He knows best.

S. Etole said...

what is the popular saying ... "no pain, no gain" ... like the way you put it better ...

Kathleen Overby said...

Becoming lustrous hurts. Bad. Or hurts good? This is surely one for keeping. iLike X 100.

S. Etole said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brian Miller said...

ha. but the blessing is that from grit comes a pearl, but not always....nice one shot.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful impressions!!! Very very well done! :) ~April

Bubba said...

It's the abrasions in life that leave us polished. Nice One Shot, Glynn!

Claudia said...

ah yes - that's a good thing to remember...

Beachanny said...

This poem like life secreting layer upon layer of beautiful meaning. Thanks, Gay @beachanny

CM said...

Sometimes life can be painful, but that is how we become more and more humble, and in the end, beautiful. Oh wait, you were talking about a pearl...or not? :-)

Anonymous said...

grit

signed...bkm said...

we all have a lot of polishing time needed in that belly of the whale call life...nice write...bkm

dustus said...

Wise words and message conveyed through tight lines. Great One Shot, Glynn!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous write and I do so love the last two lines Love and Light, Sender

Marshy said...

hi glynn...still reading and sorry i missed you last week...love this..and we both mention pearls this week...so true...for something beautiful there is a lot that is put into it to accomplish it...take care my friend

Steve Isaak said...

Exemplary proof of what's supposed to be beautiful often comes from ugly backstory events.

Strong choice of metaphor, with an inherent story buried between lines.