Contentment
June 10, 2008 at 6:56 pm | Posted in poetry, writing | 11 CommentsTags: poetry, Sunonhead, waltz, writing
Beyond the light of the fire
spirits and riders pass followed and following
in a mad decadent parade
spinning gracious histories
like soft desert whirligig constellations.
With a heavy sigh he turns on his side
curls his arm round her waist
and buries his face in her hair.
In the absence of memory, of stability in time
the coarse mechanics of grammar collapse
into a scrapyard of conjunctions and gears,
verbs asking where Machiavelli went
with his velvet inducements to intent.
There sunonhead dreams of
Venetian palace intrigues
to be conducted like impossible waltzes.
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The Puzzle Box
gingatao, the podcast- Soraya December 6, 2011
- Teethmarks November 25, 2011
- the gentle art of soft landings June 29, 2010
- The Australian Poet Laureate
- another quote from Robert Adamson January 31, 2010
- Three Quotes from Robert Adamson October 22, 2009
- The copyright question (2) October 7, 2009
legal formalities
© P Squires, gingatao, 2007-2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Paul Squires and gingatao, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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This is very beautiful and conjures many images. The careful use of words to make us feel the surroundings enhances the dreamlike quality. I like the way the waltz is at the end, suggesting a continuation left to our imagination. Lovely stuff.
Comment by Mary P— June 10, 2008 #
once again you cast forth your magic stones and i find myself skipping along gorgeous tangents.
Machiavelli = Prince = Frog… leading me back to a prior poem and I giggle to myself at the wonderful dance of threads. The complexity and creativity that lives inside your head is endlessly fascinating. beautiful poem, come dance with me…
Comment by Lakota— June 10, 2008 #
great rhythm. this has such a historical feel to it. love the images. love “soft desert whirlgig constellations.” love the periods of tenderness in it. great job.
Comment by lissa— June 10, 2008 #
You use imagery very well. Great rhymes as well.
Comment by dfrucci— June 11, 2008 #
Words to drown in.
Comment by Z— June 11, 2008 #
It collapses alright…
Comment by gautami tripathy— June 11, 2008 #
This part is just amazing!!
“In the absence of memory, of stability in time
the coarse mechanics of grammar collapse
into a scrapyard of conjunctions and gears”
Again, amazing work.
Comment by ngetha— June 12, 2008 #
I agree ngetha. Love it! Great writing Paul. glad I discovered it.
Comment by Dawn— June 12, 2008 #
verbs asking where Machiavelli went<—-swoon.
Venetian palace intrigues
to be conducted like impossible waltzes.<—-you total poet you!!
Comment by nectarfizz— June 16, 2008 #
Thankyou so much all of you. This is one of those poems that I like a lot but isn’t so much liked by others, so thanks for all the commentcompliments, more precious for being rarer,
Comment by Paul— June 16, 2008 #
the first stanza is very sweet but the writer in me loves these 3 lines best:
the coarse mechanics of grammar collapse
into a scrapyard of conjunctions and gears,
verbs asking where Machiavelli went
Comment by artpredator— June 17, 2008 #