A Moment for Poetry

57: Intermission

Hi friends!

Welcome to those who’ve just signed up for The FLARE and thank you to the dedicated folks who keep coming back. This week we’re taking an intermission from our 1984¹ reading to round out the month with some poetry.

I was inspired by National Poetry Month and a promise² I made to write more poetry. Part of the process has been relying more on discipline³ and not being afraid to keep reworking a piece until it’s right.

Here are two I wrote this month.

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Replay

The track spins round again and
I’m back at the music festival
Following a song to its source
The bass hits first
Pounds in my chest
A blood rush
Tight tinkering with calloused fingers
Double time on the drum set
With the hiss of a high hat
The synth melody expands like breath
Filling the spaces in between

The notes float up and up
In iridescent bubbles
With a glossy shine
I pop one and pink smoke curls
Around my head
Smelling of nostalgia
Like the taste of canned peaches
Or the ground before it rains
Someone scoots aside and I’m gliding
Floating just on my toes
My mouth opens
Releasing a siren serenade
Turning every eye
While the rhythm keeps time with my insides
I’m slowly ascending onto a plane
Where I am made of snare taps

The track spins round again and
I’m still there
Inhabiting this daydream
Standing in my kitchen
While breakfast burns

Companion piece:

You Can Feel It

Knowing

There is no gentle tread beside
The chasms of our despair
Our hands land heavy on
Scalding stone
Heedless of the burn

We are creatures of stubborn tenacity
Always tempting the pain of knowing

Some are content with the mystery
Avoiding the sting and swell
Some must meet
The same tangled wood
And crash
Spectacularly and with great force
Until the metal brands their chest
And their eyes capture each frame
Of the disaster
In full and brilliant color
Imprinting finally into that place
Of clear and complete understanding
When there know it fully
Even to the marrow
That this is suffering
This is folly
This is a path I dare not travel again

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Were you inspired to write more poetry this month? Please share!

What’s next?

• Part 4 of 6, pages 159-225 (end of Part II) or 5:31:01 to 8:05:16 in the audiobook

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1. Reading Orwell’s 1984

2. A Promise is a Promise

Full disclosure: it’s a members only post but if you’re a new paid subscriber to The FLARE, I hope you enjoy!

3.