'Ode to Neytiri' And Other Neytiri-Poems By Me.

[Seshat Tsahìk]

So Beautiful and Moving Neytiri_Quest! Thank you for these odes'

I think you give Jake serious competion, what girl isn't swooned by these words.

This is my favorite :

Originally Posted by Neytiri_Quest

I wrote the main part of this poem several years ago, and to no one in particular. It has lain fallow most of that time—occasionally being trotted out to share with a friend. I thought of it recently and realized I had finally found an object worthy of the sentiment.

As always, it's for you, the members of the Neytiri clan. I hope you enjoy it. It’s been Neytiri-fied (yes, that is a word… now) for your reading pleasure.


I Knew You, Neytiri

When I was but a fetus
Waiting
To once again taste the breath of life,
No thought, thought I—
Yet even then,
With an awareness I cannot comprehend,
I knew you….

A warrior of old,
I fought the good fight.
And when the battle was ended
And the enemy vanquished,
My thoughts turned homeward
To my lady, my life—
For even then,
Amid the turmoil and strife,
I knew you….

A turquoise sky
In a world during it’s youth
Was the coverlet we shared,
As we dreamed soft dreams
Under autumn skies,
And danced in the sun
In some primitive guise.
Oh, I knew you….

On a distant world,
In a forgotten time—
You and I gazed at two silvery moons
As we walked on a halcyon beach,
Hand in hand,
And spoke of our love on the cool, blue sand.
Yes, I knew you…

When time was not,
And the universe but a dream—
My soul touched yours
And life began.
The stars were born out of our love’s fire
And eternity echoed our joy and desire.
For even then, Neytiri…
Even then, my fiercely beautiful love—
I knew you….

[Neytiri_Quest]

Originally Posted by Seshat Tsahìk

So Beautiful and Moving Neytiri_Quest! Thank you for these odes'

I think you give Jake serious competion, what girl isn't swooned by these words.

This is my favorite :

Wow, Seshat Tsahik! That is indeed high praise. Thank you so much!

[Seshat Tsahìk]

Originally Posted by Neytiri_Quest

Wow, Seshat Tsahik! That is indeed high praise. Thank you so much!

You're welcome and I'm delighted. I'm a swooner for love poetry, when I took my english 100 course, the proffessor was getting ready to publish his poetry which happend to be love poems and he would read one every class, and well yeah ever since I swoon. But its also because of the beauty of your heart in speaking your love for Neytiri, there is such a tenderness there and that speaks even more than the words.

[Neytiri_Quest]

Originally Posted by Noldorin

I had to look up at the dictionary many times before I understood your poems but they are more than worth the effort. If there is a Neytiri clan out there you're the leader of it(I couldn't find the right colour)

Thanks for the nice words, Noldorin. And I'm honored that you would take the time, not only to read them all, but to look up words whose meaning you weren't certain of in order to better understand the poems. That's quite a compliment!

Also, the Neytiri clan is just a name I came up with one day in the A-F forum to describe people who love Neytiri and all of her beautiful qualities and characteristics. So in that sense, I guess you could say I'm the leader of it. Anyone who embraces Neytiri as the summit of female perfection is automatically a member, though.

[Neytiri_Quest]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Beautiful... You really have a talent...

Makes me realise just how much I am in love with Neytiri though

Thanks so much Human No More. I really appreciate all the kind words. Writing these poems (and the Commentaries) does the same thing for me. Yet, somehow, I feel better in doing so. It's as though I'm actively doing something with those feelings of love, and beauty, and wonder. And this makes me feel more whole and balanced inside.

[Neytiri_Quest]

Originally Posted by Sacred Tsahaylu

Wow, I'm astounded <3
These are beautiful
Standing ovation

Thank you Sacred Tsahaylu (beautiful forum name, but the way). I'm glad you liked them! I have another one almost finished; I'll try to post it in a few days.

[Fkeu'itan]

Such very beautiful words. Although I have read some of these before, doing so again made me feel nonetheless moved as they did the first time around. I hope to see more from you in the future.

[Neytiri_Quest]

Originally Posted by Fkeu'itan

Such very beautiful words. Although I have read some of these before, doing so again made me feel nonetheless moved as they did the first time around. I hope to see more from you in the future.

Thank you Fkeu'itan! I certainly appreciate the kind words, and have no plans to stop writing at this point.

Kiyevame!

[Neytiri_Quest]

This is a slight departure from my normal Neytiri-poems. I started to write one, then got an incredible surge of emotions surrounding her older sister, Sylwanin, who was at Grace's school along with Neytiri.

Sylwanin is never seen in AVATAR (other than in a couple of pictures tacked up at the remote site), and there’s only a couple of paragraphs about her in the script. She and a couple of other young Na’vi set fire to a bulldozer in an attempt to stop the cross-cutting in the forest and were followed back to Grace’s school by RDA soldiers. They killed Sylwanin right in front of the young Neytiri.

The poem takes place years before Jake’s arrival on Pandora. And it’s written from Neytiri’s point of view, shortly after her sister’s death.

As always, it’s for you, the Neytiri clan. I hope you like it.


Neytiri: To Sylwanin, Dying Young

In the somber silence of my inner self,
When mind and spirit have slipped their chains;
I’ll see your face before me shine,
And try to rise above my pains.

Sylwanin, dear, I loved you so!
As only a younger sister could—
But then the Terran monsters came
And took your life, near where I stood.

No more will we two—side by side—
Run Through verdant forests, green;
No more your smiling face I’ll see,
‘Neath bioluminescent sheen.

You tried to stop their rampant ways—
Killing our trees, spoiling our land;
But all they know are guns and lies,
And now you’re dead by their cruel hand!

No longer can I hope to show
The love I’ve always felt for you;
Or learn from you to string a bow,
Or how to drink the morning’s dew.

I tried to stop them—grabbed one’s arm,
And flung him down with warrior’s cry;
But then I fell and knew no more,
And woke with wound beneath my eye.

So many things I could have learned,
So many games we might have played!
But now you lie in shallow grave—
cold and still as my knife’s blade.

Your precious soul, from out the grasp
Of sand and foam did slip away!
And now in Eywa’s arms you rest,
Awakened to a brighter day.

Yet still can I, amid the gloom
That seeks to bind me to this place,
Recall the joy and love I’ve known
Since first I saw your radiant face.

A single atokirina drifts
To light upon your solemn brow;
I place a flower at your feet
Hoping to understand, somehow.

Perhaps one day someone will come
And soothe my anger and my fears;
But ‘til that time, oh sister…
Oh, Sylwanin, my beautiful sister, dear—
I am too empty, even for tears….

[neytirifanboy]

Yes, these are all great poems. One thing I like about them is that they are all upbeat. although some are sad and melancolic, they also talk about beauty and love.

I like "Awakening to Neytiri" for its happy and lyrical style. I like "I knew You, Neytiri" because it reflects the way most of feel about her.

The Sylwanin poem is also very beautiful. Although it is melancolic in tone it is actually quite an upbeat poem because it remembers the good things about the person who is lost, and reflects the deep emotion that Neytiri undoubtedly has in her soul.

[Neytiri_Quest]

Originally Posted by neytirifanboy

Yes, these are all great poems. One thing I like about them is that they are all upbeat. although some are sad and melancolic, they also talk about beauty and love.

Thanks, neytirifanboy. Since Neytiri's life isn't always a bed of roses, I didn't want the poems to omit the powerful undercurrent of sadness and depression running through it. At the same time, I wanted the eternal optimism and joy in life she always seems willing to choose to come through.

I like "Awakening to Neytiri" for its happy and lyrical style. I like "I knew You, Neytiri" because it reflects the way most of feel about her.

The Sylwanin poem is also very beautiful. Although it is melancolic in tone it is actually quite an upbeat poem because it remembers the good things about the person who is lost, and reflects the deep emotion that Neytiri undoubtedly has in her soul.

As usual, your comments are insightful and well-considered. You are one of only a small handful of people who have understood that each of the poems is designed to show a different aspect of Neytiri (Tawtsamsiyu is another, and sadly he's been absent from the forums for a few weeks). As such, each of the 6 poems has a different style, tone, and atmosphere. This was also my goal in each of the 6 Commentaries.

Neytiri is like a diamond with many facets (as you well know...), and as such has an inexhaustible fascination for many of us. I think of her as our Hope Diamond--large, beautiful, enchanting, and Navi-blue.

Again, thanks for your comments.

[apache_blanca]

Thank you for guiding me to this thread, Neytiri_Quest. The last poem, "Neytiri to Sylvanin", has brought tears to my eyes I am a big sister, for my two blood sisters & dozens of soul sisters/brothers around the world, so this love, "as only young sister could", is a new facet of the Blue Diamond for me.

Here's a dream about Sylvanin, in her honour:

I was a Na'vi girl & was talking to Sylvanin. She was "within Eywa" so I was seeing her a bit above and on the background of pure light, I couldn't make out anything else. She was talking, rather enthusiastically, about "the way" - in the sense to get somewhere, but also the way of living. I was understanding everything perfectly in the dream, & it seemed a great idea, but now I can't remember but no worries, it is surely stored somewhere in the subconscious & will surface when time is right. The last thing she said before going: "Do you want to keep bow & arrows, or shall I take them?" I answered that it seemed that her part of the job was more "theoretical" & mine, more "practical", so it would be right if I keep a material object. "And you, since you see so well and so far from above - just tell me where to shoot!" She laughed & disappeared into the light. her presence always fills me with love.

[Neytiri_Quest]

Thank you for the kind words, apache_blanca. I'm glad you enjoyed the poem. And your dream was amazing. I'll keep this short, since I practically wrote a mini-commentary to your response on the 'Why We Love Neytiri' commentary thread!

[apache_blanca]

Originally Posted by Neytiri_Quest

... I'll keep this short, since I practically wrote a mini-commentary to your response on the 'Why We Love Neytiri' commentary thread!

it was beautiful, I've just read it you say so many things that I could be saying myself telepathy?

About big sisters - and coincidences... We started with Neytiri-Sylvanin, right, I mentioned I am a big sister, too. I read your Part VI (?) where you mention Sylvanin the day before yesterday. Well yesterday I got a letter from a guy in prison I am penpalling with (thru an NGO, he entered at 17 & now is 34 ) - and in his letter he tells me about his big sister almost in terms you talk about Neytiri - all the myriad facets she represents, in short his big sister meant the whole world to him (I couldn't stop thinking about your commentary while reading the letter, then I went back to the thread to check it again - as you see the events are developing in the space of two days). And when his big sister died - his world collapsed. But also, a strange coincidence happened on the day of her death, it seems she gave him a sign "from Eywa" so the guy is asking me (being the only person whom he can talk about "this stuff" to) what I think... wellllllllllllllll I am thinking about the speech "They live! In Eywa!" (Eywa, please help me to find the right words... thank you Mother I know you've heard me).

The guy had no chance to see Avatar (!!!!!!!!!!!!) & doesn't know anything about Neytiri or Sylvanin, but I'll look thru your thread & see if I can print out something he can "click" with... I see he has a precious soul, I don't know what stupidity he did 17 years ago, but he wants to become a better person & is looking for answers, definitely (like reading all the self-help books he can get). It's enough for me to adopt him as a "younger brother" - yet another one!

So... Big Sisters are definitely the theme of the day! at least for me

[Neytiri_Quest]

That was a great story, apache_blanca. And it seems many 'coincidences' are lining up in support of the work you are doing. You are using the insights and experiences gained from AVATAR and applying them to the benefit and balm of others--a rare and commendable gift! I applaud you. And feel free to use any of my poems or commentaries to assist you in your work.