a non mineral collector's reaction to the beauty of minerals

Hi guys,
I very very rarely do things like this, but after commenting on my wife's not being interested in minerals and kindly supporting my pursuit of happiness, I felt it only fair to expose her reactions to her first and only visit to the Rice Museum in Oregon...and in particular the poem about the Rhodochrosites that she saw in this museum. The Rice museum is a must see, by the way, as it is an amazing memorial to the acquisitive genius represented by the late Mr. Rice's gem and mineral collection.


I particularly like the last verse...

Sorrry, somehow it didn't attach. I will try again.

The Rhodochrosite Poems...Irene Hill [middle verse edited out for brevity]


Deep Down in the Earth
In the Dark
In the Silence
In the Emptiness
Beauty is growing
Slowly
The geode is forming
The stalactite is forming
Over the Millenia
the circles of pink
the vibrant layers
the palest pink layers
Grow

In the Pitch Darkness
with no eye to watch it
the pink beauty grows
Rock blooms slowly
Deep down in the Earth
In the Dark
In the Silence
Beauty is growing slowly

Intricate patterns are forming
Vivid colour is flaming
This rock is blooming
It will not be found
It will never be found
It still grows slowly
It still blooms in colour
It doesn't care if it is perfected by human hands
It just IS

It's very existence is another outpost of beauty on this earth
In this earth
Proof that beauty is
That beauty seeps in through cracks
That beauty fills up empty spaces
Rock blooming slowly
What an amazing World that can have
Rock in bloom, so far beneath my feet

Unseen

That is beautiful poem. She may not be a mineral collector but she obviously appreciates the depth of beauty and is interested in your hobby enough to create a poem.

Only just read this Ray, and I'm not a great fan of poetry as a rule, but this is lovely indeed. My compliments to Irene, and thanks to you for sharing this with us.

Thanks Malcolm.