In our time a candle is dying.
Talk softly.
Inquisition forts border the mall,
Old whips on display.
Walk softly.
The wick
ed is long, the wax is wan
ing.
Hear footsteps down the hall
Where lawyers sit and quibble.
In this world a candle is dying.
Talk softly.
Loud knocks may come tonight;
The homes are empty.
Walk softly.
Down the alley, nine robed monks
Chanting in monotones
Uphold the official mantras
Talking softly.
Water is lapping at our spines.
They laundered the library.
In this night of dying candle
Fires are in our hills,
But they char dark.
True words sear slowly.
We guard the free in this garden,
Where our voices drone on,
While they say We the People Must
Talk softly.
A man carries Holy Paper
And the monks keep clipping
As they snip out censored syntaxes.
In this house a candle dying.
Walk softly.
A desk of oak cloaks the Head of State:
The Man speaks of We the People
we
Talk softly.
The holes in our speech lie uncovered.
They seem unnatural.
Now sown with seeds of senselessness
We watch our flowers bloom in black.
In this room a candle dying.
Now the earth is flat.
Walk softly.
The monks sing in euphemism as if They
Could assuage our burden
With inexact lexis.
Singers chant in throbbing iambs
“ ‘I’ll defend to the death’ is dead,
That vulgarity of Voltaire.”
Walk softly.
Dance to music of hope.
The sun may live a billion years, in our time a candle is dying.
(Our tongues now but parts of our shoes.)
Talk softly.
But if you are silent,
The monks will chant,
Inside your self a candle died.
12 comments:
This poem is like a meadow with beautiful flowers :)
I've read this several times, and I'm still not sure what, exactly, it's about. I have my own thoughts--what I've made it mean from my perspective--but I'm not sure what Larry is trying to say. I see a political statement, but I could be wrong.
A haunting write that makes the reader want to know.
to have a candle die within oneself is so sad ...found this quite haunting ! thank you x
awesome- talk softly, the monks, candle, wow! and tq for coming by larry..
I like this ... you come across as sincere in your belief. I see it as a take upon our society. Surely the light is going out of it. Love this line:
"Water is lapping at our spines.
They laundered the library."
It is very surreal to me.
This is very interesting and so well told but what is sad to me is the candle dying inside ones self this one is haunting and sad
http://gatelesspassage.com/2011/10/05/today%e2%80%99s-feelings/
Great poem I love the interesting structure.
Here is my entry:
http://jackedwardspoetry.blogspot.com/2011/10/everyone.html
I love the structure of this; it would make a fantastic story.
Your poems always make me think about the world a little differently than I did before I read them.
well deserved award,
creative poetry, keep it up.
well deserved award,
creative poetry, keep it up.
Hello.
Interesting collection you have here Larry.
Thanks for sharing.
Congratulations too on receiving the Wk56 Perfect Poet Award!
For ref:
Thoughts Of Beauty In The Stillness Of Dawn
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