25 Jan 2011

Magpie Tales #50

Focus Is Everything

An arrow points the mind in one direction,
but eyes will focus on their own choice of subject...
One portion of the larger whole, captures
my imagination. A giraffe spirit stands
poised between the winter tree trunks,
it's white and black form out of place
amongst the snow in an alien landscape.
Once interpreted this way, my brain refuses
to let it fade into the background, despite
logical intervention of thoughts roaming inside
my head. Perhaps the animal spirit needed
me, as writer, to birth it into eternal life...

Willow, your unusual picture this week lead me down a strange path, but isn't that what prompts are all about? Exploration! Many thanks to your all seeing eye that captured the original image...
Posted by at

43 comments:

  1. signed...bkm25 January 2011 at 19:39

    Just a remarkable write Jinksy taking us within the poetic mind...you voice it so very well in this piece...thank you...bkm

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  2. Louise25 January 2011 at 19:41

    Full of atmosphere, I am starting to get tempted by these images and pieces!

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  3. imac25 January 2011 at 20:27

    My My Jinksy, this is a wonderful post - the mind is full of words - thoughts - and pics.

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  4. Words A Day25 January 2011 at 22:02

    This feels so shamanic.

    My focus intiallt resisted the image you're referring to, but at the end, went back thinking, who's there?

    I love your interpretation!

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  5. Words A Day25 January 2011 at 22:03

    or initially?

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  6. Brian Miller25 January 2011 at 22:10

    lovely piece...i really like the giraffe spirit...it gave me smiles.

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  7. Uma Anandane25 January 2011 at 22:41

    lovely interpretation!I feel that I could see the giraffe there in the image

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  8. Lyn25 January 2011 at 23:42

    You find beauty where you wish..and the spirit follows..just beautiful!

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  9. Karen26 January 2011 at 00:16

    Very interesting take on this, Jinksy, and now that you've pointed it out, I doubt that any of us can look without seeing that giraffe!

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  10. Maggie26 January 2011 at 00:26

    Terrific!

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  11. Sharon Rose26 January 2011 at 00:41

    I see it! Love the way you wrote about it. It is what really happens.

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  12. Unknown26 January 2011 at 00:52

    jinksy, you are awesome:)
    A giraffe in the snowy woods! Yes!

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  13. Pat - Arkansas26 January 2011 at 02:35

    Yep! There's a giraffe there!

    Well done!

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  14. Unknown26 January 2011 at 05:37

    there's is the figure of a cloaked one standing abruptly in the right foreground as well....as though the 'witch' of her soul has urged her to 'stick her neck' out beyond its usual parameters..........again....for there exists more in the wisdom place than can ever be known.

    I do think giraffe is one of your many 'totems' Jinksy.for you have the 'eye of sight' which goes beyond the horizon. The neck is long..pun intended....on symbolism...as it connects brain and body. Foresight can be its own nemesis or saving grace....

    Look up Ted Andrews "Animal Speak"

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  15. Unknown26 January 2011 at 05:41

    annnnd......if you look at the 'cloaked one' another way its as though a 'dimension cave' opens allowing the 'seeker' out of the old 'warmth of familiarity' and offering new adventures.........

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  16. Anonymous26 January 2011 at 10:12

    Took me a couple of seconds to work out where the giraffe was but now I can't look at the picture without it springing out at me!

    very clever

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  17. Dave King26 January 2011 at 11:34

    Unusual, yes, but compelling. Reminded me of my foxes.

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  18. RJ Clarken26 January 2011 at 17:22

    I loved the giraffe spirit! What an interesting direction you've chosen!

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  19. Kay L. Davies26 January 2011 at 18:15

    A giraffe spirit! It takes the right kind of eye, and maybe the right kind of mind, to see a giraffe in a snow scene. Your first two lines explain it perfectly.
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  20. Other Mary26 January 2011 at 23:21

    :o) What a treat - hidden treasure!

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  21. Tumblewords:26 January 2011 at 23:26

    Lively piece and quite fascinating!

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  22. Kristen Haskell26 January 2011 at 23:51

    What an enchanting post and I see your giraffe spirit and believe he belongs... write where you wrote him.

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  23. Stafford Ray27 January 2011 at 02:09

    And you saw him where you seen him! Fun and typial Jinksy!

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  24. Reflections27 January 2011 at 03:21

    Amazing what the eye will catch when so many look to the same muse. Wonderful catch, a giraffe out of sorts, searching the path below for direction.

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  25. Rinkly Rimes27 January 2011 at 04:19

    It's odd but when you 'see' something alien in a picture and you've imagined it, you can never clear your brain of it again! It's always there!

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  26. Kathe W.27 January 2011 at 14:43

    sharp eye to spot that giraffe in snow camoflage (sp?)...clever you!

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  27. Tess Kincaid27 January 2011 at 17:39

    He was begging to be set free!

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  28. hedgewitch27 January 2011 at 20:44

    Imaginative and charming, Jinksy. Invisible til you pointed him out, then impossible to ignore.

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  29. Brigid O'Connor27 January 2011 at 21:30

    What a really creative take on the prompt, Jinksy, very impressive

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  30. Sioux Roslawski28 January 2011 at 03:20

    Jinksy---I couldn't take MY eyes off the giraffe once you opened my eyes. Thanks for an interesting take...

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  31. Strummed Words28 January 2011 at 19:19

    I see the giraffe, Jinsky. Very clever!

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  32. flaubert29 January 2011 at 00:05

    What an imaginative piece, Jinksy.
    If you hadn't pointed out the giraffe,
    would any of us noticed?
    Pamela

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  33. Anonymous29 January 2011 at 04:59

    very very clever. Alovely interpretation, and apt for the bigtent prompt.

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  34. gautami tripathy29 January 2011 at 12:41

    Wonderful words written with such depth and awesome thoughts.

    zeroing into the arrow

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  35. Laurie Kolp29 January 2011 at 13:34

    I love "giraffe spirit"- very well crafted!

    ~laurie

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  36. Joyce Ellen Davis29 January 2011 at 18:26

    Perfect words for the prompt! (Love your "giraffe.")

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  37. mark29 January 2011 at 23:36

    Intriguing poem....

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  38. Deb30 January 2011 at 17:48

    Like the truth that once a form is seen, it can't be made to disappear.

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  39. Coloring Outside the Lines30 January 2011 at 22:29

    I love the way you think out of the box about these prompts. Kudos again for a great mag!

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  40. Linda May30 January 2011 at 22:56

    G'Day Jinksy, that pic is great isn't it, a natural sculpture. And, my eyes did exactly as you described in your writing.

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  41. Kavita31 January 2011 at 20:58

    awesome awesome awesome!! The eye has a way of seeing what the mind wishes to see...
    What an unusual, yet fantastic take on this magpie...
    It really made me stare in awe at the limitless nature of imagination and creativity...
    Loved your work here, Jinksy... Bravo!

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  42. Carrie Van Horn31 January 2011 at 23:30

    Focas....i see him...what a wonderful message....love this Jinksy!!! :-)

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  43. Margaret1 February 2011 at 05:12

    How fun! You have a creative spirit and obviously aren't afraid to stick your neck out! ;)

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