The Secret & The Muse (Original Poem) / Not-So-Freewrite
A Mockery of Words
A sandaled foot sinks into the sand,
and Time collapses...
The landscape is transfigured -
every thing lives and is unfinished -
so much wet clay.
“Gently, brother, pray”
tread lightly, heed the tenderness,
the vulnerability of all things.
This is how I feel,
groans the earth,
experience my birth pangs,
witness my death throes.
Hear, now, the agony of perpetual creation
The earth heaves, breathes a sigh
the air is full of her pregnant cries.
Watch the sky darken, hang heavy and low
with the lowering of a world-weary eyelid,
the vegetation, now, a deep matte velvet.
Widen the eyes, raise the head and spirit,
the greenery is radiant with light.
In the mystery of moods lies the mastery of scenery
with a look one can color the landscape.
With a look the parched throat of a canal dampens
wild flowers clamor to arrange themselves.
Surrendering her will, Nature is
formed, deformed, transformed.
The double helix of Existence
laughter-suffering
elaborately, they alternate.
Tugging at the spirit,
the side of the mouth,
the corner of an eye.
The tear like a pendulum,
swings
Heart laid bare, mapped out
like overlapping tightropes
absorbing as a spider’s net.
One misstep and one is caught,
carried away and helpless.
See faces contort, bend out of shape
the singular harmony of features
tortured by multiplicity,
violent winds agitating
the surface of still waters.
Ruins everywhere, rocks like bones
(as hard, as brittle)
now, age, wither.
Shuddering certainty where before
there was only intimation
Safeguarding her Secret
the Muse makes a mockery of words -
meaningless, words disperse
with a piercing glance.
Every thing is born, suffers and perishes
the belly of Being rumbles.
Eternity beckons...
(Images: Pixabay)
I do not know where to begin. This body of work is so masterful in so many ways. I feel the loneliness, and the aching hot desert days. Much of what you write touches me down to my cellular level and reawakens apart of me that relates to my lineage that beckons me to wake up and remember. The feel of these desert spaces that you speak of that is indeed native and indigenous to me. My ancestors three generations removed are from Sudan and Nubia. I have not visited but I have seen pictures, my daughter who is a world traveler has been to Egypt twice in the last 6 years.
As I read your masterful poem I hear the music of the oud played by the late great composer Hamza El Din. (I did get a chance to see him perform live in the early 90’s in New York). I also hear this song called Pearls by Sade, the lyrics keep ringing through my mind….
There is a woman from Somalia
The Sun gives her no mercy
The same sky we lay under
Burns her to the bones.
Long as afternoon shadows
It’s gonna take her to get home
Each grain carefully wrapped up, Pearls for her little girl.
Your approach to the prompt subject you chose is far removed from anything I could have ever expected, it truly is overwhelming and transforming. It humbles me as I think about how much we take for granted what we have, and how we in our busy societies filled with all things we could ever wish for yet it seems, is still not enough because we find time and space to still complain. I give thanks right now for all I have.
In goosebumps... it’s not every day that our Longing resonates so profoundly with another soul’s.
Most of the time, I admit, I hardly know what I write or why, but know that it comes when I am stirred to the depths & summoned to speak & bear witness.
The Desert combines two of my greatest masters - Silence & Solitude - and ushers mystical utterance.
Thank you, for reminding me of the power of words to reach out and make their own friends. Blessings 🙏🏼
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What else can be said apart from: wow! ? This piece is phenomenal. The way in which you personify the desert and speak of its ways is poetic. I interpret this piece as a call to surrender to life and its mysteries, both which are our muses if we allow them to be. Your eye for observation and further ability to translate that onto paper is out of this world. Thank you so much for sharing! I am amazed!
If you have some spare time and are interested, I have some poetry on my blog too.
Many thanks, @lukakorba, for your enthusiastic response! As an Egyptian, I've had some striking (even revelatory) experiences in the desert. You're right to read surrender to life and its mysteries in this piece.
It's no wonder that the world's major religions were born there.
I look forward to exploring your own work, soon. Warmly, Yahia
Very good work. I appreciate reading the work of other poets on Steemit. Keep it up!
Thanks, for your attention and encouragement, @sgtechservices! Will check out your poetry - pleased to e-meet :)
this is an amazing piece of work i must say. There is not much I can do except to upvote and resteem. Perhaps a curator will find it worthy. well done
Your kind appreciation is plenty, new friend. Thanks, for reading, sharing and for your good wishes that a curator might also pick it up. I wish you success with your own work.
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