Rate:5.0 / 2 votes

Forgiveness Totem

Kennet Benoît-Hutchins

Rhymed
Tree give me shade to rest tired memories,
a bench to watch the world lap up my past
a shaded pathway to reawaken, to colour,
a child’s desire to escape foul memories.

Eagle, tell me to recover, to hunt anew
in the majesty of the sky, to soar unhurt,
in cloaking to shield elements of my soul
in its shedding, be thrice honoured anew.

Salmon, travel the rivers and seas home,
so that we may all be siblings in our sorrow,
so in the rebirth at the source, we can swim
so that a new honour can find its own home.

Orca, let our homage swirl past your eye,
to play with your cousins, in their great joy,
to allow the inner child out to romp in glee
to a tune that dries the tears in sorrow’s eye.

Say we all,
so we can heal,
learn in grace.

Kennet Benoît-Hutchins

About this poem

I lived in British Columbia for many years, loved walking in its forests: which in part gave incentive to the following.

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Written on December 25, 2008

Submitted by Kennet on December 26, 2021

Modified on March 25, 2023

50 sec read
256

Quick analysis:

Scheme AXBA CXXC DBXD EXXE XXX
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 772
Words 169
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 3
Full analysis for Forgiveness Totem »

Kennet Benoît-Hutchins

A Canadian ambulatory Homo sapiens male, who muses and just sometimes, remembers to make note of a verse or two. Retired unionist and accident adjudicator. Runs amok with words, occasionally coherent. more…

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Discuss the poem Forgiveness Totem with the community...

7 Comments
  • Ruthmahogany
    Ruthmahogany
    Lovely Lovely. Thank you for writing, thank you for sharing.
    LikeReply4 months ago
    • Kennet
      Kennet
      Thank you for reading Forgiveness Totem and sharing your appreciation for it. It means a great deal to me.
      LikeReply4 months ago
  • AIDA
    AIDA
    Wow, what a beautifully written poem, Kennet! I truly enjoyed reading it and was captivated by the imagery and emotions it conveyed. Your use of nature as a means of healing and renewal was truly touching, and I found myself feeling inspired to seek solace in the world around me.

    Your words possess a deep wisdom and sense of reverence for life, and I believe that they have the power to bring comfort and hope to those who may be struggling. Your thoughts on shedding old wounds and finding new life in the face of adversity are particularly poignant, and I think they will resonate with many readers.

    If I may offer a suggestion for improvement, I believe that incorporating more concrete examples of how one might seek healing and renewal in nature could make this piece even more impactful. Perhaps you could describe a specific memory or experience that has helped you to find peace in the world around you, or offer some guidance on how others might do the same.

    Overall, I think this poem is a beautiful tribute to the healing power of nature and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Thank you for sharing it with us!     
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • Dougla$Irishman
    Dougla$Irishman
    Talking about other poets of years ago, I really like Crossing the Bar by Alfred Lord Tennyson in 1889 !
    It is about his version of death, the final trip !
    I am living the Bar right now so I understand.
    LikeReply2 years ago
  • Dougla$Irishman
    Dougla$Irishman
    I think I shall never see
    A poem as lovely as a tree
    by AJ Kilmer 1913, the golden age of the laurates !
    Never to be equaled.!
    LikeReply 12 years ago
    • Kennet
      Kennet
      Joyce Kilmer was ever chastised for this poem, as being over simplified and old fashioned. I think, that sometimes, people try to over complicate art and forget that simple entertainment based on one's realty is oft the most appreciated - there being not much hidden within the shadows of the art viewed, read or heard. 
      LikeReply 12 years ago
    • Ruthmahogany
      Ruthmahogany
      Being a spoken word artist, my poetry is adapted for stage performances. I recently wrote and performed a poem in a conference about trees with part of it inspired by Joyce Kilmer's poem. There's something profound in simplicity. 
      LikeReply4 months ago
  • Dougla$Irishman
    Dougla$Irishman
    Very depictive poem and you do run with words - bravo !
    LikeReply 22 years ago
  • Kennet
    Kennet
    I lived near British Columbia's Fraser River and drove it's length to go to work in Richmond (Vancouver). So during these trips these animals at various times were observed. Experiencing such eases the muse's travail. 
    LikeReply 22 years ago
  • Soulwriter
    Soulwriter
    Wow I was really drawn into this. Excellent.
    LikeReply 12 years ago

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"Forgiveness Totem" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/116563/forgiveness-totem>.

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