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the ocean always dreamed blue dreams

Prayer for a Dying Soul

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I, falling
and the moist night air pressing
against me,
a carpet of damp, sweet-smelling flowers

What will happen when I land?
Does death await,
a kindly hand closing my eyes,
or a sadistic lover,
granting me a stay of execution
while opening the door to exquisite pain?

I find that I am watching myself,
a lonely majestic hawk
that flew into the sunset and landed
on a railing
looking down at the errant landscape
both a part and apart
his majesty cannot save him from the ruthless hands of man
they have no pity

The earth rises to greet me,
as I shriek and flail,
but fate is inexorable
thus, dazed and shrouded in dust, I sit up just
as the trap snaps shut
and screaming, I clutch at the bleeding

Lying in the dark
I lick the wound
my tongue gently lapping
at the metallic blood
Who is that girl with
the wolfish eyes and the long yellow teeth
with the snarl twisting in her war-torn gut?

I'm praying for a deus ex machina
I'm praying for my own deus ex machina

I open my eyes
as the rising sun and the hunters
crest the ridge

Qimissung
November 2009

Updated 11-26-2009 at 08:38 PM by qimissung

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Comments

  1. PrinceMyshkin's Avatar
    Oh, my God, this was merely gripping and magnificent unto those final lines, which seemed to grip my heart and squeeze!

    So beautiful, so wonderfully controlled: the line-breaks alone could have made a poem.
  2. DanielBenoit's Avatar
    Wow one of your best yet! I don't want to sound partisan, but of all the great poets on this website, I enjoy yours the most and this one is a prime example of your mastery of line-breaks as well as stunning metaphors.

    There is so much imagery in here that I just want to rub my nose in it, but I'm quite tired and will comment more tommorow because I feel like I must read it again so that I can catch the pleasure of every single word.

    The only problem I have is "and screaming, I clutch at the bleeding", believe me, I love 'screaming' especially as a companion to 'blinking', but there's just too many 'ings' with that extra 'bleeding'.
  3. Virgil's Avatar
    I've got mixed emotions on this one Qimi. I thought this stanza solid and interesting:
    I find that I am watching myself,
    a lonely majestic hawk
    that flew into the sunset and landed
    on a railing
    looking down at the errant landscape
    both a part and apart
    his majesty cannot save him from the ruthless hands of man
    they have no pity
    Though i have no idea what those last two lines are referring to. But I thought most of the remainder seemed like it was trying too hard and too many discordant images: metallic blood? What's that? A kindly hand or a sadistic lover? I fail to grasp the meaning. To be honest I'm confused by a few other lines. This one doesn't do it for me I'm afraid.
  4. qimissung's Avatar
    Thank you, Prince, Dan, and Virgil.

    Getting such immediate feedback is always heartwarming and interesting.

    I think you're right, Dan; I'll have to think about how I'm going to change it. Thanks for the input. I appreciate it and any other ideas you may have for me.

    Hey Virgil, thanks for your input and honesty. I'm not sure I can answer all your questions, but blood does have a metallic taste. As for death, it is different things to all of us at different times. If one is young and left brutalized but alive, it would seem sadistic; if one is old and in great pain, it might seem a kindly hand. Mostly, I think, this person wants to know the future, desperately...and is that wish ever fulfilled?

    The images are discordant because what is happening to the person is discordant. I appreciate your willingness to read something that made you uncomfortable.
  5. rimbaud's Avatar
    Lying in the dark
    I lick the wound
    my tongue gently lapping
    at the metallic blood
    Who is that girl with
    the wofish eyes and the long yellow teeth
    with the snarl twisting in her war-torn gut?


    this was my fav part!!!
    see qimi, you still have it
    amazing
  6. qimissung's Avatar
    Thank you, rimbaud. You are very kind.
  7. mtpspur's Avatar
    Not sure how I missed one. Chilling. I kept the eagle image in mind and watching the majesty of its being and dignity end in almost despair and foreboding. How have the mighty fallen--and great the fall thereof. The hunters are rarely worthy of their prey. I should pay more attention to oyur poetry though I have no qualifications on crititquing them. Dark Muse is my favorite here in that area as her verses bring so many strange and offbeat impressions to mind.