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End of Days

General Poetry - post, comment, review, critique
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Tracy Mitchell
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Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 3:58 pm

End of Days

Post by Tracy Mitchell » Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:42 am

~

          End of Days

Trees are kindling, firewood 
dragged to urban fire pits, heaped 
at the feet of each new Joan of Arc
for final conflagration-–the end of times–- 
like the second bookend.  

But what of these books to be incinerated– 
our days written as pages in pulp mills 
rolled flat, dried as leaves crackling 
down a cold fall, scrolled to flower hot
in the pages of the Book some would imagine, 
as slow sacrifices to the eternal.

In a blazing grove, others watch him, 
catalpas and ash leaves whisper his name 
on chill breeze. A maple leaf by genetics
he comes late to the powers of cayenne
to the capsaicin ritual, a ceremony 
for saving himself from dry crumble  and 
cardiovascular failure.  

First comes brown fade, 
small then bigger, hot then blazing. 
His heart molts to crimson and molten 
red infuses his capillaries like the 
very best of martyrs and those who 
may still wish in full flush of world alive 
to burn at the stake.

And yes, in that blazing maple grove, the reds, yellows 
disintegrate as we do, in fading light to brown, dust
or ash – winds always at the ready.
 
I went to divinity school for this,
and learned to make candy.  
 
Now I think the end of days 
will come at night.


~
Last edited by Tracy Mitchell on Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Dave
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Re: End of Days

Post by Dave » Sat Jul 27, 2019 11:57 am

This may take time to work through, I hope there is time before the books finally burn.
Dave

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Tracy Mitchell
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Re: End of Days

Post by Tracy Mitchell » Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:41 pm

:) :)

indar
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Re: End of Days

Post by indar » Sat Jul 27, 2019 3:29 pm

Catalpas! He said catalpas. Totally forgotten in all the poems about willows and maples and old oaks.

OK I only read this once and it doesn't hang together ---yet but let me say:

cardiovascular failure.  (please)

I went to divinity school for this,

and learned to make candy.  (too too funny and by gosh it actually makes sense--that has become what "the good news" is, sweet white stuff that incites a sugar high.
Several more reads are in order but the gronk is in.
 

 

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Tracy Mitchell
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Re: End of Days

Post by Tracy Mitchell » Sat Jul 27, 2019 3:36 pm

As long as the gronk is in, I am ecstatic.   :D :D
  

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Colm Roe
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Re: End of Days

Post by Colm Roe » Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:07 pm

It's an intriguing poem with lavish imagery. 
I'm not reading a lot of hope here Tracy, just desperate clinging, and an N resigned to post death oblivion  :)
I like that!

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Tracy Mitchell
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Re: End of Days

Post by Tracy Mitchell » Sun Jul 28, 2019 7:15 am

Post-death oblivion -- That phrase seems roll off your tongue (pen).  :)

Thanks for the read and comments, Colm.

T

indar
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Re: End of Days

Post by indar » Sun Jul 28, 2019 7:51 am

I believe this poem is about the ascendency of grievance politics. I've been astounded by some of the comments made during people-on-the-street interviews that seem to indicate a belief that citizens of this country are being persecuted by the (gasp) fed. government. How ironic is it that the great martyr in chief stokes these fears of the very thing he ultimately controls? The national direction does seem to be toward self-immolation in the name of martyrdom to some convoluted, misinformed, and, I'll say it, spoiled brat idea of personal freedom. The end of days will come in a blaze of intellectual darkness--the dark night of the soulless. 

Dave
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Re: End of Days

Post by Dave » Mon Jul 29, 2019 6:29 am

Hey Tracy
That first stabza is pretty audacious stuff if I may so - dramatic and a full force start.

The second paragraph loses the momentum a bit but fills in the details and brings events up to date. I am a bit concerned by the following line:
our days written as pages in pulp mills - surely nothing is written in pulp mills unless there is a play on words here - pulp being where paper is produced (not writing) and pulp as in cheap literature.

More to follow, working through this slowly.
Dave
 

ajduclos
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Re: End of Days

Post by ajduclos » Mon Jul 29, 2019 7:34 am

"our days written as pages in pulp mills"

That line totally got me - love it more and more as I read it over and over - All of your meanings, Dave, and more.  In context with the rest of the poem, and a huge poem it is, it is perfect......................

Then again, what do I know, I just write songs....................

Aj

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