Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, center
panel, detail,
c. 1503-04
Oil on wood
The Prado, Madrid
|
poet, in a high chair, waiting with wings
biscuit instant gravy
maybe slave babies
don’t feel chains
beneath their bunted
mobile charmed
bright colored hypnosis
sarcophaguses, thrushes
and butterflies
are fined for shy metamorphosis
they play craps against
white zone walls
as perhaps life is only meant
to spill innocence
purposefully
slowly
honing in
homing in on
something easily
understood
before
subtle accumulations
of heavy metals
drag them with fate
and other harnesses
trapping their spirits
stealthily in boned cages
sewing shadows
without words
to their light
so as they might not notice
how much shine
is given away
when reaching for a more
that only promises rain,
pain and wheeled chances
for our bellies
to be
full of laughter
to be
full of laughter
even as our cries
always
seem to be
the first poem heard
seem to be
the first poem heard
EJR ©
Second stanza...such an incredibly strong stand-alone.
ReplyDeletesubtle accumulations
ReplyDeleteof heavy metals ... love the contrasts here... and our cries seeming to be our first poems heard... often it's that place deep from the heart...full of honesty...
perhaps life is only meant
ReplyDeleteto spill innocence
and then we get ahold of it....and def our cries are heard first...we put more emotion there...
before / subtle accumulations / of heavy metals / drag them with fate / and other harnesses -- these are fantastic oppositions of abstract fate vs concrete harnesses, subtle vs heavy. Also really admired "how much shine /is given away/ when reaching for a more" -- how "more" is being used as a noun, plus with the sound of "amor" (heart).
ReplyDelete'boned cages' to me speaks loudest ~ M
ReplyDelete