Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Word and Question 3

This is my third poem for the meme over at Shredded Cheddar.

Word: fossil

Question: What is the taste of sorrow?



Some say that sorrow tastes of bitter gall;
Some note instead the saltiness of tears.
Some claim the thing is tasteless, overall,
Giving a lack of savor to the years.

If joy is sweet, as many also claim,
And disappointment sour, as well may be,
Why do most people "taste" them each the same?
And is there more to this than we can see?...

Why should emotions have a taste? Is this
A synesthesia* that affects us all?
Is there a flavor for eternal bliss?
Or are such things an aspect of the Fall?

Years hence, when I'm a fossil down below,
These questions will not matter -- or I'll know.


*Synesthesia --
A condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color.
(Definition from Answers.com)


10 comments:

Kate said...

You're good at this! And now I realize I never did do the one you gave me a while back. :-P i think I have it written down around here somewhere...

Christina said...

Ooooh I really like this poem!

Belfry Bat said...

Hooray! Another sonnet!

And there's my word... well done =)

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

Oh, wow! I love this poem! I had to smile when I saw the creative way you put in "fossil" at the end, but I think it stands as a good poem on its own, the "W&Q" gimmick aside.

Sullivan McPig said...

It's beautiful!

Dauvit Balfour said...

You managed to get synesthesia into a poem. I think I know what the next word I submit for word and question will be... that was awesome.

I like; well done.

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

But if you do that, Dauvit, everyone will know it was you! =P

Or is that comment just a red herring to throw us off the scent? ;-)

Belfry Bat said...

What if everyone put in "synaesthesia"? And then we'd never know which came from whom!

(or... something... )

Salome Ellen said...

To all: I actually use the word in real life, since my oldest daughter and husband are both synesthetes. But I think it would be funny to put in variations on the word for all. Maybe next time a given word and we all submit questions, and the next time a given question with different words? Just a thought.....

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

Those are good ideas, Ellen, and I'd love to try both out. But they'll have to wait until "Word & Question" 5 because an enthusiastic person has already submitted an entry to Game Four! =P

PS--Let us know if you want to host Game 5! =)

PPS--No pressure or anything! ;-)