SONG OF THE SIREN (photo art) & AFTER THE OPENING (free verse dream poem) by Roswila

AFTER THE OPENING

"Bill Clinton* not only recognized me there
in the first row applauding his performance
but was truly happy to see me," I think
as I pace the now totally empty theatre stage

the only light, a bare bulb stage lamp, spills
a warm glow over the floor boards
but can't touch the surrounding back stage
shadows that stand like dark masts
on a becalmed ship

I ponder how best to say "no" to Bill's
clearly flirtatious request to meet again,
as much as I'd like to resume our "affair
interruptus" I won't risk my new found
balance on that slippery slope

this phrasing and that phrasing occurs to me
while I try to re-write the denouement
to this well-known play

with honesty as my quill I try to get down
what perhaps should not be put into written
words if only for his reputation's sake

but ultimately cannot be fully expressed
because so drowned in alternating
floods of light then shadow

always and ever a poet's siren challenge
and binding task


[free verse poem on a dream of 3-10-14. *Yes, that Bill Clinton, our former President. He's one of a few famous men who appear occasionally in my dreams. In another fairly recent dream he was just a friend. However, usually there's something more going on. What I find more interesting about this dream though, is how it tries to address a poet's urge (more than urge, I cannot not write) to speak the ineffable. Or more accurately said, to create a containing symbol for what can't even be fully grasped in all it's contrasts and contradictions. (Can you tell I just finished the text of Jung's "Red Book" last night?) BTW, when I refer to myself as a poet that in no way indicates how skilled or not skilled I may believe myself to be. Only that I am driven to write. Photo art "Song of the Siren" (11-9-13 070v10) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers, as the above is), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,





[aka: Patricia Kelly]

**** 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.