Poem: Returning ‒ endings

Books & Poetry

Valerie Volk crosses the International Dateline again in this second Poet’s Corner contribution from her new travelogue poetry collection.

Wednesday November 15, 2017 Comments

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Returning ‒ endings

So now we pay the price.

We find we lived on borrowed time.
The day that we had gained
in eastward travel,
racing the sun, like gods,
above the Lilliputian earth,
was ours on loan.

The time has come for debt repayment.

No choices here, for we
are catapulted through the calendar.
Adjust our phones and watches,
accept the missing day
with no regrets ‒
for what we have been given
has been a time of richness
which, like life itself,
(this also borrowed time)
demands our gratitude,
our willingness to move ahead,
in faith,
accepting golden sunsets,
and the dying of the day.

Valerie Volk’s poem today is from ‘Of Llamas and Piranhas’, her new collection about travels to and through South America. She has published a number of other books and chapbooks that include poetry collections, verse novels and adaptive fiction that have been reviewed in InDaily and its predecessor The Independent Weekly, and details of which can be found here. She has been a past contributor to InDaily Poet’s Corner, along with various literary journals and anthologies. A former teacher, lecturer and education program director, she holds a PhD in Education Studies.

Last week, InDaily featured another of Volk’s poems from her new collection: En route – flexitime.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.

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<h1>Poem: Returning ‒ endings</h1>

Valerie Volk crosses the International Dateline again in this second Poet’s Corner contribution from her new travelogue poetry collection.

																		<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/compiled-by-john-miles/" class="author">Compiled by John Miles</a></address>
											
							<h2><a href="#returning-%e2%80%92-endings" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="returning-%e2%80%92-endings"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>Returning ‒ endings</h2>
So now we pay the price.
We find we lived on borrowed time. 
The day that we had gained 
in eastward travel, 
racing the sun, like gods, 
above the Lilliputian earth, 
was ours on loan.
The time has come for debt repayment.
No choices here, for we 
are catapulted through the calendar. 
Adjust our phones and watches, 
accept the missing day 
with no regrets ‒ 
for what we have been given 
has been a time of richness 
which, like life itself, 
(this also borrowed time) 
demands our gratitude, 
our willingness to move ahead, 
in faith, 
accepting golden sunsets, 
and the dying of the day.
Valerie Volk’s poem today is from <a href="https://www.ginninderrapress.com.au/store.php?product/page/1401/%2A+Valerie+Volk+%2F+Of+Llamas+and+Piranhas">‘Of Llamas and Piranhas’</a>, her new collection about travels to and through South America. She has published a number of other books and chapbooks that include poetry collections, verse novels and adaptive fiction that have been reviewed in InDaily and its predecessor The Independent Weekly, and details of which can be found <a href="http://www.valerievolk.com.au/">here</a>. She has been a past contributor to InDaily Poet’s Corner, along with various literary journals and anthologies. A former teacher, lecturer and education program director, she holds a PhD in Education Studies. 
Last week, InDaily featured another of Volk’s poems from her new collection: <a href="https://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/books-and-poetry/2017/11/08/poem-en-route-flexitime/">En route – flexitime</a>.
<h5><a href="#readers-original-and-unpublished-poems-of-up-to-40-lines-can-be-emailed-with-postal-address-to-poetscornersolsticemedia-com-au-submissions-should-be-in-the-body-of-the-email-not-as-attac" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="readers-original-and-unpublished-poems-of-up-to-40-lines-can-be-emailed-with-postal-address-to-poetscornersolsticemedia-com-au-submissions-should-be-in-the-body-of-the-email-not-as-attac"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.</h5>
 
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