Tempo di Piangere

“Grieving Women” by Albert Bloch

 

nell’oscurità
della notte
luogo e tempo
per le abluzioni
di lacrime
una purga del
il dolore dal
ceppo paralizzante
su giorni
dolorosamente zoppicando
tenendo
falsi posture
d’allegria

nell’oscurità
della notte
luogo e tempo
per un lavaggio
d’emozioni
prima di ciò
scoraggiato
profondo blu
il discolor
di guai
può impostare
macchia permanente
sul cuore

nell’oscurità
della notte
luogo e tempo
per questo privato
indulgenza
spazio
all’interno tristezza
per amore o
la sua simpatia
spazio
per la gioia genuina
per trovare il sonno
nella mente

Pentimento

“Pentimento” by Mickey Cunningham

gestured apologies
scratch at ill-spoken
impasto on canvas
first brushed by
pure heartstrokes
with lush lusty colors
now dulled beneath
layers of life wanting
clemency knowing
not how to reveal
vibrant passions
from under smeared
rancor built up
by dismay not
with she who sat
model in full bloom
of youth but with
he the self-loathed
and failed artist
who never could
capture that singular
moment again

 

 

 

(originally posted April 2013)

Torment

“Abstract Portrait #6” by Lee Griggs

fuck infinity
I have known
too many journeys
run out of miles

fuck eternity
I have known
too many seasons
run out of days

fuck tomorrow
I have known
too many yearnings
run out of hopes

time and pain
inextricable
past present future
null concepts
a romance of words
existential conceits
in their essence
mere aspects of
one inescapable
blood and bone
agony born of
the knowing that
everytime
everyplace
everything
everyone
comes to their end
every voice
every song
every prayer
comes immutably
silent as stone

arbitrariness
tends to each end
with unfeeling
exogenous hands
no exertion of will
no expression of wish
no wail of despair
no tormented plea
will add time
to a clock
that’s come finally
fully unwound
fear of death
is the fear of
an incomplete life
and the truth is that
too many lives
are never fulfilled

time and pain
inextricable
what in the
damned bloody hell
is the point
fuck it all

*      *     *

“The most painful state of being is remembering the future, particularly the one you’ll never have.”       – Søren Kierkegaard

Reach

“Reaching Hand” by Da2kPara

how high heaven
how far from depths of despair
one outstretched hand

Oyster

 

“Colorful Sunset” by Anna Ruzsan

 

sky sublime in its sunset

svelte colors that shift

with emotion of eyes

spectrum carried aglow

upon broad vivid bands

iridescent of nacre

as if to send hope

to attack the despair

of a troubled humanity

giving organic reminder

the world is our oyster

its pearl hidden

somewhere behind

fall of night

in the deep unlit

promise of sunrise

Sleepless

“While You Sleep” by Ken Law

worry burns

with sickening

uncertain heat

the damp night

much disturbed

restive shadows

converge in an

omen of winds

what to do

what to do

when the morrow

glares empty

soft organs

of conscience

in clench of a

manhandling fear

painful wrinkles

press into old skin

of a newborn despair

blood and bone

of tomorrow have

already stained

raspy linens

uncomfortable

pillows bear

bitter depressions

who grimace

from unfulfilled

promise of

yesterday’s dawn

what to do

what to do

needing sleep

fighting sleep

feeling mocked

by a high mighty

fat laughing moon

and rude tittering

taunts of his

entourage stars

what to do

what to do

wishing wanting

no more than

to find a new mind

come the morning

 

No Poetry Today

Thin Blue Line Candle

The terrible events in Dallas have rendered me unable to write poetry these last few days. I am filled with anger and despair.

My son is a decorated police officer, a police academy instructor, an EMT, a former member of the Civil Air Patrol, and a United States Navy veteran.

He is a man born to a noble ethic who enthusiastically swore a somber duty to serve and protect his fellow citizens – ALL of them – regardless of race or creed or character.

My entire family shares the grief suffered by him and by all of his brothers-and-sisters-in-arms around the country, as a result of the cowardly acts of those utterly despicable Dallas assassins.

We pray that he stays ever alert – keeps safe – and remains undeterred from his mission. We are exceedingly proud of him – and deeply grateful for the service of everyone in uniform – all of whom are increasingly in harm’s way.

The American social fabric continues to shred against the sharp edges of malicious factions. And now, more than ever in tatters, appears unmendable.

On the Ledge

“Man Standing on Ledge”
Photo by Jeremy C Wilson
From becuo.com

on the ledge
is no place to reflect
upon what might have been

on the ledge
is no place to confront
demons taking their toll

on the ledge
is no place to bemoan
one’s malpractice of life

on the ledge
is the place to accept
God’s unqualified love

Turning Point

“Turning Point”
Painting by Elizabeth Fiedel
From ebsqart.com

came a time of upheaval
transformative moments
convened to become
a season of mind
replete with resolve

draw sweet country air
through the pain
take the wedge of despair
and the maul of a pen
split the bitterness
burn it bring forth from
its flames inspiration

create tidy therapies
exercised thoughts
isometric emotions
those atrophied dreams
pressed and kneaded and
pulled into verse shaped
by confident words
strong and painproof

Drowning Misery

Painted whiskey illustration
From moraswines.com

ex-wives ex-lives
neatly fit in
square bottles
decanted
three fingers
three rocks
at a time
charred oak
amber despair
sharp cut
vitreous lead
crystal sorrows
refract in their
fireglass tumbled
kaleidoscope sins
cold companions
that splendidly
burn off regrets
to make room
for the shame