He always wears camouflage.
It’s hard for most people to tell
if his disciplined jaw is masculine perfection
or just a glistening stone
chiseled so by some ancient, savage savant.
They can’t discern sleek tree trunks from his stalwart chest,
his gentle touch from the common sway of leaves,
nor if his smile is just the sun breaking
through a dense jungle canopy.
And of his quiet heart,
most would never guess
the voice of God breezes there.
But I remember when
(whether an act of sudden weakness
or sudden determination--I don’t know)
he allowed himself to look at me.
In that single moment
I learned the power of eyes
to penetrate deeper than any man-made scope,
to search out mysteries,
to chain souls together;
and suddenly,
towering fatigues were unmistakably hewn,
and wreathed around us on the jungle floor.
Nakedness was truth.
So he can live his life in the bush
(crouching behind the regular)
until rings of trees have multiplied
his masquerade.
But I saw him.
and I knew
his wild magnificence
in that single moment.
Author notes
Artwork prompt: "Silence is a Virtue" by looketha
http://www.looketha.com/silence_is_a_virtue.html
In a list
A contest entry
- Commitment - Sweat Shop Series: Quicky 2 - Invite only by CarolDesjarlais.
720 points, ended July 24, 2008, 7 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
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A powerful and respectful write, and a brilliant response to the prompt picture - which reminded me of Wifredo Lam's The Jungle, and said all I've always felt about that picture too.
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CAPTIVATING!!
thats all i can say
deserves more than a honorable mention though
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There's a lot to respond to here but I was taken with the the tone of respectfulness, top to bottom. Made the awe so believable.
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A beautiful tribute to an outstanding specimen of true manhood, with all the nobility intended by his Creator in "his quiet heart" where "the voice of God breezes."
Breath-taking moment "towering fatigues unmistakably hewn" when camouflage facades are dropped and discernment of each other's truths are revealed.
Perceptive "crouching behind regular", and lovely expression of time's passage "until rings of trees have multiplied his masquerade;" perhaps also signifying his children, replicating his image.
Powerful "But I saw him" harks back to "nakedness was truth." "And I knew"--you had a frame of reference and perception that permitted you to understand and rightly value "his wild magnificence." Brava!
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Beautifully written hun, soft, alluring and totally riveting. The spell of moments is sometimes more filled with emotion than a whole lifetime. Gorgeous writing
Hugs, Bunny
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"I knew
his wild magnificence
in that single moment."
I have a memonet such as this...... I was one of fifteen International Research Team sent to the rural areas outside Cali, Columbia, South American. There were different groups that came to meet with us in the evenings. There was a group from the rain forest area. The colonials were killing the aboriginal people because the government had given them back their land and all rights. The Chief of the tribe came to meet with us. He was in his late twenties and we had herd most elders and leaders had been killed so he was young to be a chief. During a break, I walked out into the depths of the Plantain forest where the udnerbrush was thick and ferny and musky...I was praying, as is my wont, while walking...I stopped to give an offering, felt something off to my side, turned...and caught the eyes of the young Chief...peering through the heavy broad underbush leaves... I have never had a more intimate moment...and you have defined it exactly.... -
Oh my just how do you do it
And you got all this from that picture! Just stunning as your words always are. They drip with emotion and true feeling right into the soul.
Beautifully penned.
All the best with this.
Gaylene
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Ah my dearest creature of winged type this is just beauty and softness all rolled into one. I do believe it has wings
Love, C
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