Friday, October 25, 2013

Watchtower

Watchtower

L. Edgar Otto   25 October, 2013


The bus stopped in Swavesey, by the old clock
late at night from Ely's Isle to Alconbury

That urge to lose myself in crises flight, some
endless space in but safe measured hours

That to desire to seek the far away drives me
back to home, there already, we cant return again

But while the rumble lasts, glaring light hiding the night
you Carol sit by me, I not the caboose chasing your train

The driver, and the couple between him and us, well
she setting on his lap, we pretend not to notice

You show me what you bought the day in Market Square
I have you give me your address so I might write in

An old book of wisdom from a bygone age, a sister's praise of
sisters, opium eater diary, or picture of the days of plague

You get off by the watchtower, its pale Roman numeral clock
a thousand miles away the book took another subway route

I could not write you, my words blacked out, returned by
prying eyes afraid of jazz terms I loving your isle too much

At the watch tower I see your ginger hair, freckles, smiles thru
the window while the night light clock grows dim behind me

There was nothing else worth to watch for you someone
I could have loved and more, friends, our heartbeats side by side

* * * *

For imaginary garden... thoughts evoked from the lyrics of songs, and barn dances once my home...

Added later after thinking about how I used "dim" in this poem without thinking about it then seeing the same themes in the other poet's here... that and a friend mentioned too how he had to use the word dark matter or energy differently every time he used it... so I thought I might, as a source of terms made clear try to coin some clearer ones as seems it best a poet's duty.  The physicists run out of Greek roots it seems, or how creative the "gluon" not or quark that means cottage cheese... I used opaque substance or Dark matter like or obscure matter,  or anything with the simile the so called "God Particle" for awhile called Higgs-like.

So here a final thought as a poem after this daunting yet glorious educational prompt so much so at the beginning and way beyond the cycles of seasons and days intimate to our souls at the end of the line...

Crepuscles and Gloam

L. Edgar Otto  26 October, 2013

Why must my shining light racing off 
into the starry horizon
leave behind my cloud of gloam?

I slow in the salty scudy sand grain
broken shells of crystal waves
walk on water quickly sand sea foam

Poets as well feel yet the hidden scoff
so think unique zodiacal lights refrain
their own horizon's inky rain of tomes

Our compass North falls off the world 
ghosts vanished there yet leave their bones talk 
to each other as if to them, seek diamond double cones

Walk on shaky ropes of time up from our marrow
where we're close, may fall, riding one loves arrow...

* * * *

Glossary perhaps in this footnote:

Crepusculum and Gloam

L. Edgar Otto      26 October, 2013

crepuscle(s) : obscure or dark (twilight) matter and
gloam: the same for the concept of dark or hidden energy;  dusk dust

Starrizon: (the starry horizon) mirror compliment of gloam, gloamnium.

Calyptic Substance (energy, thoughts, or matter): hidden, esoteric (vs neoteric physics)

* * *


7 comments:

  1. yeah... this is nice & easy and brings up the same kinds of feelings i get from the song. really nice.

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  2. Such a poignant remembering, lovely to read and envision......

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  3. Feel esoteric longing atmosphere in your lines....

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  4. yeah, that second piece is luscious and questioning. excellent.

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  5. Beautifully set with powerful language to boot! Great write Edgar!

    Hank

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  6. You captured the mood of the song to perfection. Great write!!

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  7. I love how deeply you delved into the metaphor using the train lingo! Nicely rendered!

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