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Open Poetry #36
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Pilgrimage
Member Elite
since 2001-12-04
Posts 3945
Texas, USA

0 posted 2005-09-26 05:04 PM



Silk and Velvet

Speaker for the Sisters of the Damned,
she wears her rags like velvet.
She walks this pitted pavement
as if some sad, crazed disciple
had spread her way with petals
and draped these sagging doorframes
with fragrant boughs and garlands.

Little Mother Darling
lives in whitewashed splendor
in the district where the pretty ladies sell
sweet pink dreams and mellowdrops.

When she sees the Speaker
strutting down the alleys
as if they were the hallways of the gods,
there’s a catsmile that comes peeping out her eyes.

Upright Jacob doesn’t know them
or the places that they gather.
He’s never heard the Message
nor drunk a sweet pink girl.

He sits cozy in his parlor,
well away from that one window,
and wipes the whetstone down the blade;
wipes the whetstone down the blade
in loving, laughing motion,
his eyes all smoky glitters.

He oils the whetstone daily,
wraps the blade in green silk;
takes it out
to wipe the whetstone down the blade.

One fine night in kind December,
he watches at that window.
He sees through clouds and glimmers,
sees the Speaker striding
as though her tatters were of ermine.

Now stands Little Mother Darling
shrieking on the corner
underneath the streetlight,
like a freight train gone soprano.

Upright Jacob whistles,
sitting in his parlor
well away from that one window,
winding something red and drippy
safely up in green silk.


Nan (Pilgrim variety)

© Copyright 2005 Nancy Wilcox - All Rights Reserved
Sharksbean
Member
since 2005-09-25
Posts 368
jax
1 posted 2005-09-26 07:40 PM


pretty poem i enjoyed

-may the force be with you in poetry

Earth Angel
Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215
Realms of Light
2 posted 2005-09-26 10:31 PM


These are some of my favourite lines:

~ "there’s a catsmile that comes peeping out her eyes."

~ "He’s never heard the Message
nor drunk a sweet pink girl."

~ "shrieking on the corner
underneath the streetlight,
like a freight train gone soprano."

~ "winding something red and drippy
safely up in green silk."

That was a very chilling ending, Pilgrim! Your 'raconteuring' ink flowed well!


Linda

Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
3 posted 2005-09-26 10:37 PM


You painted a very well done scene....enjoyed even to the last drop!!  Worried a bit about the speaker though. Or should I worry about Little Mother Darling?  
ecrivan
Member Elite
since 2001-12-10
Posts 3923
my own state
4 posted 2005-09-27 01:30 AM


cool choice of words that let the lines float...nicely done


iliana
Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434
USA
5 posted 2005-09-27 02:11 AM


Nan.......this is haunting, to say the least!  Gave me the chills!   ...jo
Honeybunch
Member Rara Avis
since 2001-12-29
Posts 7115
South Africa
6 posted 2005-09-27 03:08 AM


Yes, very well done although there was a shiver or two in the reading - that's a good thing though!
Pilgrimage
Member Elite
since 2001-12-04
Posts 3945
Texas, USA
7 posted 2005-09-27 09:57 AM


Thanks guys.  I enjoyed writing it.  Sometimes my diseased imagination likes a free rein.

Nan (Pilgrim variety)

Marge Tindal
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores
8 posted 2005-09-27 02:42 PM


Nan~
Oh my ... did you ever do this one up special~

I found myself absolute riveted to the screen, waiting for the plunge~

When you can wrap me up in suspense ... you've done something grand !!!

*shivers* ... but they feel good at being proud of your versatile ink~

*Huglets*
~*Marge*~

~*When the heart grieves over what it has lost,
the spirit rejoices over what it has left.
- Sufi epigram <))><

Email noles1@totcon.com

Pilgrimage
Member Elite
since 2001-12-04
Posts 3945
Texas, USA
9 posted 2005-09-27 03:32 PM


Hugs right back atya, Marge!  I started this last Friday night, and for some reason I couldn't sleep.  I wonder why?  A body shouldn't scare herself, surely?

Nan (Pilgrim variety)

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