and every time
a thousand shades of white
arise,
we delve inside,
beyond another's skin.
and self and other
fold themselves so neatly
then, their angles lost
into a depth,
into a space once
vacant between all else.
and moments pair
to map the span of every
s[h]elf,
bookends settled, horizons poised
around that epic land
where nothing is held
but everything embraced:
years are unwritten, pages
emptied,
past agonies plucked away
from fallow beats. Old books
hollowed, in an infinite instant,
eaten. Undone.
and first and last offerings
are always brightest-
they flank that vastness
of care, that open
hole that reaches past
an unforgiving sky-
the empty of endless,
hallowed to catch
two halves of a single
tangled soul.
and we fall so slowly
and all at once,
consumed, misplaced eternal,
each as beginning or end,
sometimes as both.
and there are days and nights
of madness,
of light and shadow caught
on ragged edge,
bled at first to chart new realms
of sense and senseless, to learn
the art of holding
as though we've never held
before.
[ as though we've never been held
either. ]
and then to revisit newly foreign
shores,
again and then again-
each time to travel down beyond
all fear,
above uncertainties of bliss.
and then to forget everything
we thought we knew
until, at last, we can recall
the rest.
Author notes
Edits: 12
In a list
A contest entry
- the language of intercourse and outercourse by Nicolette.
4500 points, ended June 1, 2008, 31 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think (Critical Honesty Appreciated)
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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“where nothing is held
but everything embraced:
I’ve found the essence of what we were looking for in this contest in those lines, coupled with the last few lines….yes, that is outercourse. And it is very clear from this poem that you do understand the difference between the two concepts, as well as how to weave them together, Kate.
I agree with Guy about deleting the “and’s” at the beginning of some of the stanzas… I do understand though that I’ve intended the stanzas to read: “between all else is this and….”. Other than that I’ve found this poem to show the essence of what we’ve expected to find – it’s deep, complex, intimate, subtly sensual and does it indeed show “the art of holding”. Wonderful poetry.
Thank you for the entry.
~ Nicolette
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i would like to see the 'and's deleted from the beginnings of so many stanzas, which i believe would make the stanzas far more powerful and compelling,
but, otherwise, quite an incredible write.
your raw honesty isn't something lightly dismissed, and i appreciate all the complex thoughts and emotions that imbue your writing.
and i absolutely love and envy the title!
thanks for entering
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this is excellent, as always kate...your metaphors and poems always reach a peak!
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wow, 12 edits? that's insane, but i think it really paid off. this is beautiful. it has a nice balance between simplicity and depth. i really wish i had thought of those first few lines.
i felt like each stanza was a poem in its own but that they all came together nicely like puzzle pieces and were wrapped up perfectly at the end. fantastic writing.
-cassidy
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Katie, I am speechless. This is a masterpiece. Simply exquisite and leaves me breathless. Beautiful, beautiful work.
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... this is phenomenal. whoa.
lying my pen at your feet and humbly bowing. What a metaphorical masterpiece.
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this is by far the best i have read from you. i read it loudly i really did.... ask the fan, the walls and my God. they will answer in the affirmative. you are beautiful
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