DECLINE (photo) & BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE (free verse dream poem) by Roswila

BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE

he looks so young I almost don't
recognize this uncle I've loved
from earliest childhood,
but ultimately felt abused by

and now he stands here, knowing
full well I'm caught between
the devil and the deep blue because
I know he's dying, so how can I
do anything but be compassionate
and take responsibility
for everything, as I've always done

embracing my fate this time involves
first listening to his plan to crash
his car into the front entrance of
the home he'd so artfully renovated
to bring it down "the way the Twin
Towers were," then watching him
actually crash the car before
I can even ask why

the entire, two story, white,
wood frame building shudders
but does not collapse, at least not yet,
and I wonder if there's time left
to suggest that, OK, he's dying and won't
need this home he so carefully refurbished,
but would he like to leave it to charity?
it would bring in a pretty penny ...

but I quickly recall, even as the house
shudders frightfully again, that charity
never mattered much to him, just
what he wanted to do at any
particular moment

and for his last show it's very clear
that what he wants is
to bring down the house


[free verse poem based on a dream of 3-2-17. This was one of my actual Uncle's (who died quite some time ago). Our relationship -- at least as I experienced it -- is pretty much encapsulated in the first stanza. Of course, the dream represents much more than that, including aspects of myself. Photo "Decline" (6-11-09 2116v2) 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), 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.

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until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a 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 other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.