NIGHT OF THE UNICORN (photo) & THE VIRGIN MOMENT (free verse dream inluenced poem) by Roswila

THE VIRGIN MOMENT

would that what I lay in the lap
of the virgin moment were as filled
with light as a unicorn's horn
and as full of magical potential

but I am hoisted on my own petard,
bound round with the twin twistings
of nature and nurture, and shot through
with the certitude of ancient resentments

the delicate weave of possibility
that drapes an untouched moment
cannot bear this weight
tearing each time I come to it
and lay my burden down


[free verse poem resulting partially from the dreams of 12-7-13. In case anyone reading this blog knows me/my family, I have no news about my brother. Now to the above poem: as I started to wake that first stanza came to me. I did not dream about a unicorn nor did I think of the opening stanza as being about a dream. That sleepy writing was a spontaneous mulling over of many things, not just the night's images. However, another dream that night -- see post here of 12-8-13 referencing The Strength card in The Tarot -- had a similar implied image. I.e., in both the unicorn myth and in The Strength card, a gentle woman catches/tames a beast. This dream inspired poem above, however, has a far less positive outcome than the one of 12-8-13. I'm inclined to think it's because this one is largely the product of my conscious mind, where most of my negativity seems to be produced. Whereas the dream poem of 12-8-13 is deeply rooted in my dreaming mind, coming directly out of the images of a dream. Which is not surprising as, although there's not too much I feel certain about in dream work, I do believe dreams come in the service of healing. Photo "Night of the Unicorn" (11-15-09 8200e) by Roswila]

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO DREAMKU (& PHOTOS): The dream-based poems posted on this blog -- dreamku, tanka, two-liners, monoku, free verse, dream narratives -- are offered in the spirit of collaboration. I have done my part. Now it’s your turn to jump in and see what comes up for you. I.e., there is no right or wrong way to relate to any of these dream offerings. Even my own understandings of them change over time. And it gives me joy when a reader sees something in any of them that I have not.

Also please note that a dream poem or narrative is not intended as an interpretation of a dream, or even a complete and accurate rendering of one. It is my attempt to get down dream imagery/action that grabs me and, as I write about it, elicits my conscious written association and response. Nor do I believe that one has to remember dreams in order for them to do their work. In my understanding, we are much more than our conscious selves.

You may also note in any further reading on dreamku (the specific forms of dreamku, tanka, two-liners and monoku) you may do here, that in the beginning I stressed "showing, not telling." However, this has been changing for some time. I now tend to "show" (the dream story) and cap if off with a "tell" (some reaction and/or insight I've had to the dream as I was writing about it). This also pretty much applies to my free verse dream poems as well. As to what I have begun calling dream narratives, they are a different animal, probably most akin to prose poems.

For more in-depth exploration of the dreamku forms specifically and one post in which I also address my photo choices:

-- very brief comparison of dreamku and haiku: DREAMKU ARE NOT HAIKU

-- a brief post about both dreamku and my photos THE AREN'TS OF DREAMKU & ACCOMPANYING DIGITAL PHOTOS.

-- detailed three-part post about dreamku: "A DREAMKU PRIMER: Writing Haiku-Like Poems About Your Night Dreams": PART ONE: Introduction & Writing Dreamku as Dream Work; PART TWO: Elements of the Haiku Form Used in Dreamku; and PART THREE: How to Write Dreamku (the second and third parts have some overlap).

-- a short up-dating post about the three-part "A DREAMKU PRIMER" -- Important Up-date to A DREAMKU PRIMER....".

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‘til next time, keep dreaming,






If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's connections & other blogs: Charter Member of the United Haiku and Tanka Society (UHTS); ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL; ROSWILA’S TAIGA TAROT; and TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.