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| The Snake Charmer, Henri Rousseau, 1907 |
For you I learned to breath, circular,
the double reeded melody
never pausing. My flute-like gourd
always moving as baubles and trinkets
dangled to attract.
I desired you to respond,
to match my swaying. Tried
enticing you with vibrations;
captivated, you were not.
In defense, you bit me once
as alone I wouldn't leave you.
Why did I come back for more?
You preferred others like yourself,
struggled always from my grasp.
The moon's hypnotizing light
upon the mirrored surface glowed,
reflected back a face unfamiliar
as I picked up my basket
full of yearning and despair.
Around my ankles
cold and loneliness swirled
and I paused...
but my name you did not call; so
into the basket I stepped,
greif imprisoned within
and tightly the lid I secured.
Liquid darkness swallowed my
parting melody of paradise lost,
its swampy arms offered
a false comfort I embraced
as my fruitless desire
was finally consumed.
by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, September 20, 2011
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I TRIED to find happy from the above image, but it just gives me the CREEPS! So, dark and despondency flowed... This is for Magpie Tales #83.
15 comments:
Paradise lost, indeed...
Desire consumed ... consumed with desire. They sound similar, but oh no they aren't.
I like this Ms. Margaret!
def haunting margaret...but captures well the mood of the picture....stepping into the basket imprisoned in your own grief is a great touch...and then the loss of desire...
Doom and gloom? Ada would agree...
My my! yes I considered the moon aspect too... wow. I like how you used swaying- thanks.
Paradise lost indeed...
I liked your use of reversed syntax as in "my name you did not call", which gives your poem a distinctive voice. Most enjoyable and sensuous.
BTW . . this is the first time I've come across a reference to "circular breathing" in a poem, and the "double reeded melody" suggests you play the oboe??
Very nicely done! As others said ... paradise lost indeed!
this gave me some chills...the cold and loneliness...liquid darkness..parting melody..very nicely penned...great closure as well
It gives me the creeps, too!
You did a beautiful job with it.
The second stanza is a hooded cobra if ever I saw one...♥ Very enjoyable read.
Nicely done.
Anna :o]
temptation succumbed to.
the snake has won.
very visual and hot piece.
Thank you! Tess Kincaid challenges me each week and I as usual I am stumped with the next one #84.
Dr. FTSE - NO, I don't play the Oboe or any instrument anymore (I used to play the violin) but I was doing a bit of research for this poem and I came across the fact that the snake charmers are not supposed to stop the sound and have to learn a way to breath continuously. Someone referred to it as "circular breathing". My daughters and I have had fun trying to figure this out... I'm sure we look quite funny to all the other people as we wait in the car at traffic lights trying to figure it out! :)
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