The Night, The Night...
the cinematic power in a drop of water
crashing against the stomach of a sink
smashing into iridescent pieces
scattering in resplendent shards
the torrid affair in the crease
of a week-old newspaper,
the tumbling creatures
in crumbling alabaster
unrealized populations materialize
undisguised before imperturbable eyes
creep in and out of a carpet pattern
once more irretrievable in the weave
come somber twilight hour
with its vanquished armies
a procession of angels, subdued
violent silver and violet diffused
a clandestine encounter
between a room and a candelabra
the four walls a shadow box
a profusion of unhinged imaginings
furtive fugitive figures
emboldened emerge
merge and converge
with a dark eloquence
a great whorl of specters
consecrating sacred pacts
enacting blasphemous acts
confidential, conspirational
monsters of darkness
huddled here or there
shoulders and knees
crammed in corners
the night, the night
with all its bewitching might
conduit for reveries
and gently taunting madness.
© Yahia Lababidi
(Image: Picture prompt # 1 for @Rensoul17's Where Poets Dream and Cry Poetry Challenge: https://steemit.com/wpchallenge/@rensoul17/21n8o6-where-poets-dream-and-cry)
What do I say? I am so deep within the confines of this poetic masterpiece. I don't really have the words, maybe I will come back. I did re-edit the post and number each prompt thank you for the heads up when you wrote in your entry "Picture Prompt #1." Know that I am always teachable. But what I can say is Bravo, this is one of your best pieces I have read on Steemit in the category of Poetry. I do honor the fact that your gift streams flow in many different categories still trying to keep up.
I will say at this time it is such an honor to call you a friend and a brother @yahialababidi. You are indeed an Angel and a gift from above and beyond. Also, the esoteric and the metaphysical side of me can truly relate to the term bewitching. In the style of the way Master Yoda arranges sentences, I will say, "Interesting and mindblowing this piece is." Thank you for your entry.
Dear @rensoul17
My turn to be speechless , sister-friend-angel-gift... Bless you, for this typically generous response. Initially, I was going to submit for prompt 6, something about the expression I caught in the eyes of a past love, but 'the night, the night with all its bewitching might' won out :)
A privilege to be heard and seen, through words & beyond _/|_
You're so nice for commenting on this post. For that, I gave you a vote! I just ask for a Follow in return!
There is truly a magic to your comments @rensoul17, the magic and beauty of this piece notwithstanding. I hope you truly realize just how rare and special that is.... And how much it warms the hearts of those you choose to read and delve deeply into the work of.
Simply masterful, my friend. It flowed so naturally. I would love to hear it recited, have you ever considered posting simple readings to @dsound? It's quite easy to use and oftentimes will support those posting on the service with its generous delegation.
But back to your piece: the wordplay was simply stunning. I love all the internal rhymes and the small tweaks (violet, violent) as well as the alliteration. For some reason, the word "candelabra" felt like a pivot point in the piece - its sound stood out to me.
This conjured the mood of a deep dream state: wonderfully abstract and subtly nightmarish, yet glimmering with a brighter sense of mystery. Thank you for this creation! It's one I will continue to study.
Wow, this made my day, d-pend, thank you! Emboldened by your warm encouragement, now, I want to try dsound (have I shared with you my readings on SoundCloud - mostly of poems by others I admire: https://m.soundcloud.com/yahia-lababidi)
I admit I’m a bit of a technophobe/clutz but, hopefully, I can figure out how to record this poem - if nothing else, as a small gift for you 🙏🏼
Many thanks, again, for your close attentions; I love everything you say and how you think poem rewards rereading (this is high praise & I know you’re someone upon whom little is wasted...)
Forgive harried response, operating on little sleep and must run out, soon, to see the Pope!
Lovely words @yahialababidi, as always.
I lie here and tap out these words on my phone, having woken, restless at 5am. So I check out steem and find once more, that:
Your poem 'The Night and its Bewitching Might' very much reminded me of Poe's nightly meandering from transient dreaming to fitful awakening.
I love the ending of your poem m8. That 'gently taunting madness' of dreams imagery is something that I love to make my muse in poetry also. Thanks for sharing :-)
Yes, it's an interstate poem, well-suited to restless 5am reading, my friend. Always good to hear from you, dear @raj808 and I remember reading your good advice in a post of yours about keeping a dream journal.
Off to try and make a recording of this poem on @DSound ... if I can figure out the technology :) Cheers!
Yahia
My second time around to this one, @yahialababidi, and I'm still speechless. There is just so much here. Every word, every intricately woven detail of life and dream combined, the intensity of it as it builds and builds. So so beautiful, this. Thank you, for sharing your gift with us, Sir. Truly.
You are very gracious, @authorofthings. All I can say is that words have a life of their own, and certain states their own magic and dictates. Under the influence of night, an entire day's pent up/unspent energies may, suddenly, erupt in this unhinged manner. In turn, everything is defamiliarized and the hallucinatory work of dreams might begin to take place with our eyes still open... Poetry might just be another name for unleashed intensity.
I'm not sure if you've heard my reading of this poem, posted on DSound earlier today. If not, I hope that it lives up to your expectations & inner voice:
https://steemit.com/dsound/@yahialababidi/the-night--its-bewitching-might--original-poetry-reading Sweet dreams, Yahia
Hey Yahia,
so much strong pieces of alliteration, wordplay and fantastic imagery driven storytelling, it's almost difficult to remember that you are writing about the seemingly mundane of sinks and walls and carpets.
Certainly my favorite line was this:
the way you are spinning that internal rhyme is sublime, good sir.
This is great, thank you for the share.
That's the thing, my friend, in imagination's hands, nothing is mundane, all is raw material that can be transformed into a kind of waking dream. Glad you appreciated it; I enjoyed your entry, too. Best of luck!
imagination is truly a wondrous tool;
best of luck to you too, my friend.
wow ! it is amazing . you have got great skills . I hope you will win this contest
Excellent to receive such an enthusiastic response, @learner365! I'm glad that my poem moved you and hope others will feel the same way :)
Gently taunting Madness....I've been awake more nights than days, so this speaks to me. Thanks for the poem, I enjoyed it quite a bit!
Hey, good to hear from you, again :) Dozing off as we speak (at 5 pm) this is the price day person pays for night owl's musings... Thanks, for reading @ul1yck1t and hope you get some sleep, soon!
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