Silence....
Punctures the silvered night,
An unexpected respite from
A torrent of confusion.
My head lifts from my knees,
My eyes, open wide, wondering.
How?
What happened?
Why is it so....quiet?
No screaming in my ear from
Ghostly banshees no one else sees.
No demons, cariacatures of death's
Toothy grinning face malignantly,
Screeching at me.
No black dogs with coal red eyes
Howling, snapping at my toes.
No children with soulless eyes
Beseeching for just,
Just one more cookie...mommy, please.
Instead, at first so gentle,
I hear the lapping of waves.
The tender rush of water on shore,
Caressing sands unknown to feet.
I stand in wonder,
Childish amazement, leads me to my door
Then down, down the stairs
Which before
Was a spiralling hellpassage
To Dante's inferno, but now.
The smell reaches me, not of sulphur
But salt.
I open my door and gasp in amazement
To see....
Paradise.
Beneath a fairy way
Shining with glittering dust.
Along stone steps, so clean and cold.
I see the sun spends gold on water,
Which gently ripples and curls.
Entranced I go towards to it
Entranced I follow.
A zephyr passes on sweetest wing
Luring me even further
By the coolness of my cheek.
Down the passage, dark and chilly
Shadowed by leaves of laurel and oak.
Along balustrades of marbel so strong
And beautiful in the muted light.
I come to the end and march along
Curiously smooth, golden sand.
I feel the cold of water, around my ankles, my legs
My eyes were closed, to feel the last
Warmth of the sun.
They open now
And see, fairy maids,
Frolicking around my feet.
I now, waist deep...alarmed and awed.
They urge and pull me
Deeper still
Fish tails curls around my legs.
Green eyes mirror silent laughter
From pearl smiles.
And the water....covers me up.
Silence....
Punctured by screaming
A mother knelt beside a mossy pond.
Her daughter floating,
Gentle Ophelia.
Bringing a rush of concern from the red bricked house.
All in shock and sadness, murmurs deepen
To nothingness as they stare
Wondering,
At the smile upon her face.
Author notes
You be the judge. Maybe I didn't put enough of the passage into the poem, in retrospect, I don't know. But this is the story I got inside the picture. Of someone guilty and tormented who finally reaches peace at last, a sad , sad peace, but peace nonetheless.
A contest entry
- Let Your Imagination Run Free #8 (Picture Contest) by Seeking Peace.
500 points, ended April 23, 2007, 24 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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bravo!!
whoa, awesome piece. no wonder u got gold. ur images tickle every sense. the picture u painted is more vibrant than the one for the contest. great job!
~marcus
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Just wonderful
sometimes a true poet exposses others like myself. I have much to learn. But reading this fantastic piece I wonder
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Fantastic!
This is captivating, the words you use and the way you use them spin an imagery that is so clear you are there. The torment in the first two stanzas create a tension, a need for something less harsh, a plea for release. And then suddenly the picture changes and you are in your fantasy land, the place where there are no troubles only a deep sense of peace, and then walking into the water not quite sure if it's the right thing to do but compelled to do it - the whole thing brings to mind someone suicidal who is living with huge torment, and then as the weapon of choice begins to succeed there is that hesitation (is this the way out?) and then the escape of death. I thouroughly enjoyed this, you definitely have a way with words. Congrats on the trophy
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AMAZING!!
WOW...I mean really, This is fabulous. Such depth, I must say you have written such beauty...I really am in awe. I think this may be, so far, my all time favorite poem of any writer on ap at the moment. It took my breath away, and I felt as if I were the one following this path. Again I am just wow-ed.
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Excellent !
Another good example of good writing. You don't need to go to the enclyopedia to fgure out what this author is trying to say. Keep up the great work my friend.
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AMAZING
wow! i mean, really, just wow! i could feel the passion and sadness coming out just from reading the poem. well done!
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Brilliant, I am in awe of this piece, you have captured exactly the type of thing I was looking for, well done here
Thanks for taking the time to enter, I wish you the very best of luck
Karen -
Very well written. I really enjoyed this post.
Lady Dragonwyck
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What a story you have shared with us in these lines - how creative you are - what an imagination you have. So many different interpretations of this picture served to inspire you. Liked the flow, the vivid visuals and how you brought the ending back to the title.
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