Hoist me up the flame
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... by @d-pend ...
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Hoist me up the flame
I. Entreaty
Hand the lantern up:
for long have I climbed
or thought to ascend,
yet stayed by your side.
Through wave of fancy,
tide-churn of nightmare,
summer, then winter,
you bid me to bide.
Here seasons change not,
shadow and light play,
all-rearranging
mind of the dreamer.
I am your lost thought;
breastbone and portal,
cleavèd by cold fate,
craving but one sign.
Gesture, and save me—
Ember me, raise me;
Hoist me up the flame,
for long have I climbed.
II. Reply
Sewn shut, and fateless,
words fail my pale lips;
limbs, too, betray me,
so shudder my steps.
O How I long to pass this torch
day upon day who flares and dims.
Touch of the wind, gleam of the sun,
you pale and fire the light of one
so desolate-joyful as I.
Beneath a silent sky—
Eloquent words and earnest mien
impotent, mar my mind,
and dull bright feeling's edge:
frail, myself I find.
For I am weak, through poesy:
in nervine bliss I dreamed
some apparition lovely—
she who spoke, or so it seemed,
knew, from up above me,
how the life of heaven teemed.
Each must have its mate;
united—by the flame:
—bright serendipity—
can cast no shade on me.
But lend to me my name,
adventure of the flesh:
risk, imperiled glee,
imperfect, in perfection,
in safe asymmetry.
How I long to pass this burden
and turn it to a gift
for her that called in darkness
to light this callous rift.
My longing, that lurched dynamo,
that impetus unwavering,
to feel, to see, to linger,
in warmth to ever dwell
was blazèd by the honest
expression of sweet purpose
I read upon her brow.
I could not find the courage
to speak, but stir my soul
as I pass her up the lantern;
I give through touch my whole.
She takes the sacred pyre,
then shackles mine are loosed
as flame impels me higher,
my throat becomes un-noosed.
Original writing and art
by Daniel J. Pendergraft
.
Published to STEEM blockchain
on February 20th, 2020
.
Images created using
iterative compositing
.....
Hi!
Thank you so much for checking out and supporting my piece "Hoist me up the flame!"
Some additional notes
When I began writing poetry it was mostly without respect to meter of any kind, though as a musician I long viewed poetry as essentially song without melody: or song with melody indeterminate, devised in the moment by the reciter.
Over the years I became more interested in formal structures, and tended to write less "free verse," trying my hand at sonnets in the shakespearean style, along with various other metric experiments. For me, a poem should be a harmonious marriage of meaning and rhythm. As a good novel does, it ought to aim to enact absorption of the reader, such that the attention is held and the imagination is transported.
I do not know whether it is possible for the poet to know to what degree he/she has succeeded in causing such a thing, save by observing the effect of a piece on one's own consciousness. I cherish greatly poetic dialogue which comes out of reflection on a piece, and read any feedback with extraordinary pleasure, which increases my motivation to continue to hone my craft.
My aspiration is to eventually create book-length creations of many poetic scenes, perhaps evolving into the realm of screenplay. Recognizing much of my earlier work's inability to connect with everyday experience, I yearn to be able to imply a vibrant inner state which is both totally mundane and yet transcendent.
Iterative compositing
By compositing I mean, blending images in various ways (addition, multiply, lighten, darken, soft light, pin light, etc.) These are modes that apply different parameters determining which parts of each image show through where. By iterative I mean bouncing an image, re-importing it, and modifying these with further compositing. The result is that I produce perhaps 50 images to arrive at 3 for the final post.
On purpose
For me, this blog is such a proving grounds; this is where I feel most comfortable to document my journey along this path. I am honored to share the process with all of you. I will always look back fondly upon these formative days in which the birth of a new paradigm seemed ever to peek up from behind the hills like some radiant beacon, retiring only to further gestation during a wintry suspension, inevitably succeeded by humanity's Spring.
STEEM on!
@d-pend
2/20/20
Oh my God! What great writing! Reading one feels the greatness of the feeling that moves. Apparently worldly, it does not escape the commitment to the soul, to the evolution that comes and goes in an endless cycle. A wheel that decants the human.
The images are great. I feel that you do something similar to what you create with music, an asymmetry that surprises and shakes the senses.
From the honest writing, you created as commentary, I rescue this that I love:
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A really great poem, the second of yours that I've read. I really liked the dialogue aspect in this work. The story's also very poignant, and the flow of your words is sublime.
Glad you feel that way and thanks for the feedback on the structure. :-) !ENGAGE 16
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proof of sharing on twitter #posh
Totally Sweet, this seems uni directional and it was straight to the point, I couldn't help but noticing the longing and passion of the poet persona. It was beautifully written.
I am glad the emotion came through for you in this one! And thank you very much for the @tipu curation my friend!
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There is real emotion and the painting through words. Beautifully done.
Thanks Troy, so happy you connected with that emotion. !ENGAGE 10
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Really an awesome poem! 👏
Thank you so much for checking it out and I'm super glad you enjoyed it :-)
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@tipu curate
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 10/15 - need recharge?)
Hi @d-pend!
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