POETRY: Recent Episodes
wes parham
Rough mix. Work-in-progress. Spoken word for a collaboration with composer Dennis Ramler.
This is about destroying beautiful, shiny, enticing things in your life that have turned out to be harmful. Once upon a time, a talented marksman took aim at some of mine. I'd like to contrast the appeal of the thing with the violence of its destruction, for creative acts could be defined in violent terms... primal, like the forging of matter in stars and childbirth. Or mundane as the attrition of a pastel chalk, giving up its pigments to the paper canvas.
I'm fortunate that some of my friends despise poetry but still seem to tolerate me, personally. One of these wrote to me recently, "WES... I fucking hate poetry... Make that the title of one of your poems..."
...so, I did. This one is for her.
She will never read it because she cannot abide poetic verse.
I told her that I'd be sure not to share it with her.
She replied, "GOOD".
She's the best.
http://hellopoetry.com/poem/790625/i-fucking-hate-poetry/
Back at the shore, at the interface, I tried, once, to be free.
I found a human animal there, hidden beneath the sea.
It stared, defiant, back at me, perplexed to be observed.
It had no need for company,
It had no need for words.
I felt unable to understand,
Understanding all too well.
The pain within the heart of man,
The pain they buy and sell.
I spoke aloud, though, anyway,
I thought I knew those eyes,
Believed my voice could make a change,
In other creature's lives.
"You're hurt", I said, to the ocean waves,
"Why hide beneath the sea?"
"You're a fool", it said, "presuming that",
"There's something wrong with me"
"Go back to where it's warm and dry,"
"Just walk away from here."
"The water gives me all I need."
"Spare me your hope and fear".
Perhaps", I said, "We all are broken,"
"To some extent, in body; soul..."
I saw my own, afraid but happy,
So unbroken as to seem whole.
It shouted at me once I had left,
We would never meet again.
Then whispered an unheard, but felt,
Admission to the pain.