Here we are, planted,
our feet firmly in the earth
together with trees
and shrubs and flowers and wheat and barley,
just as green as shoots,
as tethered as roots, until
plucked by unseen hands.
In the meantime, look –
a long-necked swan overhead,
untethered, flying
feathered and free and light and wind-borne
following instinct,
a seasoned flier, until
plucked by unseen hands.
Kim M. Russell, 23rd June 2026
Mish is our host at the dVerse Poets Pub for this week’s Tuesday’s Poetics, with a tale of two images: a challenge based on juxtaposition, a contrast between subjects, settings, ideas or moods that “not only highlights their differences but can also uncover unexpected similarities or connections” and “strengthen an argument, stir up emotions and create an impactful statement”.
Mish has provided examples of juxtaposition in extracts from work by Charles Dickens, Amanda Gorman and Margaret Atwood.
Our challenge is to use two images that create juxtaposition as a foundation on which to build our poems, combining sensory details that conflict with each other and blending the concrete with the abstract.
writing in north norfolk 
I love your extremes of the juxtaposed and the paradox of similarity in finality
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Thank you so much for close reading, Laura.
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Wonderful write with the images, Kim. And somehow I’m stuck on your inclusion of the word “barley”….it just makes it so real! Our feet firmly in the earth….and then that soaring long-necked swan. Somehow, when I think of death, I think of soaring….
I enjoyed this write of your very much!
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Thank you so much, Lill. I think it was my tai chi video that inspired this poem; in the warm ups we stretch to earth and sky.
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Beautiful. The echo of “plucked by unseen hands” tied earth and sky together, an unexpected commonality of two extremes. I love your line spacing choices, the second couplet surprising me as a continuation of the first. Just wonderful stuff, Kim.
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Thank you very much, Mish, for close reading and a lovely comments.
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Love the juxtapostion between being grounded and “untethered, flying
feathered and free and light and wind-borne”
I also loved how you juxtaposed ypur 2, 10 syllable lines with the verses….
I also used the swan picture!! 🩷
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