Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Where Once Walked Marsh


Where once walked marsh
For questing’s grail

Worldly weights hinged upon-
-Our unpropitious victory.  We could not fail

Complication unlaced her dress,
Prompting route to fork its trail

To the right, a hazed fog split us half,
Spawning a hash of Dilaudid canaille

To port, suspicion’s fever flared complicit,  
As rancor stirred in dubiety’s gale


Where once walked marsh,
Through vales unkempt

Sifted sway of silted limb
Marred by visions dreamt

The never ceasing eyes of foliage
Pry through vine and draw contempt

Stanchion’s fossils ivy-covered,
Memorialize winnowing’s failed attempt

All shapes of creatures never seen,
Swarm the fringes of the verdant kempt

So close, now to free, yet whispers echo from the brush,
Stating, “escape you may, but you’ll never be exempt.”

From what, is all most can muster
But linger long and the thought(s) will show

Where once walked marsh
Has since been shadowed by snow

So many years have now past,
I’ve forgot how to know

In a journey of thorns, some prick while others defend
And for what, a hero’s welcome home?

At first the honor was the dignity,
The seduction and the glow

Perhaps it’s just to make the days gone appear worthwhile,
So near the grail, instead of elation, concessionary eyes back-roll

Onsets of the beholden by,
Grandeur’s chains endured through pride

Footholds first, is oft it’s last
To survive the many cracks,
One must be swift of mind
And strong with staff
But even then, the ankles may snap

Insets appear-thought not of (yet)
(yet), once renewed is now remanded back
To hope to hunt for hope
A plague to the optimist
A battle scar for most others
Where once walked marsh infused with hope,
That path, is found to be, paved by the smoke of ghosts

Where once walked marsh in boyish tread
Now stands but one of hundreds dead
Here left to hold the treasure and bring it home
To pay homage to the man now seated in the throne

As memories sort the better part of days
I often wonder if they think much of those 1000 men
Once cheered as Gods as they left bay
I wonder if they think of much, all that was lost by us,
It’s been so long I doubt they do
But I’d like to think back and pretend they do to
To the ships set to sail in the harbor
The revelry and the returning promises

Seems like all that’s gets me forward
Is a pursuit to remember, “whend-we-go”

Claudia is hosting Open Link Night over at D'Verse tonight.  The doors open at 3:00pm, and seeing it's a 1/4 past right now, the doors, I would guess to already be open.  Check out the OLN, read a ton of amazing poetry.  Every week seems to outdo the week before, which is really saying a lot, because the very first week was great.  The number of poets submitting their work has dramatically increased, which means more poems to read and more experiences to be had.  Anyhow stop on by read some great poems and if you'd like submit one of your own, I'm sure they'd love to have you:)

For my offering this week, nothing experimental as I've been doing the past few weeks, but I'm hoping you'll enjoy it.  It's a journey piece, epic poem or whatever moniker you'd like to call it.  It's loosely inspired by The Odyssey as well as Norse Myth. Varying from typical myth I thought I'd forego the battle scenes, perhaps allude to them, but make this more of a mental piece, dealing with the emotions of the questers.





10 comments:

  1. "Where once walked marsh", loved the repetition of that line. Loved ""complication unlaced her dress" too--seems that is always the way of things. Lovely read.

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  2. I hope it's okay that I placed myself in your poem, questing away myself these days. I really enjoyed it, too :)

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  3. ..Where once walked marsh....the repetition here works so well..love how you turn the battle scenes from the outward to the inward fred...this piece has great texture and leads us over shaded fields all the way into the harbor..

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  4. Hundreds dead in the marshes made me think of the trenches in WW1 ...how many soldiers lay dead in the after each battle for a few yards more of mud.
    Very deep, and image filled write!

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  5. Wow Fred, what a gripping look at war.

    The smoke of ghosts and complication are just a couple of the images that really stand out. Even without the battle scenes, as you mention, the message stands out chillingly clear.

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  6. This really was epic, and I enjoyed the journey, with the walking marsh and the questors--the simple couplets at the beginning where really effective--esp liked
    "To the right, a hazed fog split us half,
    Spawning a hash of Dilaudid canaille

    To port, suspicion’s fever flared complicit,
    As rancor stirred in dubiety’s gale."

    that was fun unraveling, and so was the rest of the piece. Enjoyed it.

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  7. some really great lines in here fred...the complication slipping her dress forking the road, great way to put it...

    In a journey of thorns, some prick while others defend
    And for what, a hero’s welcome home?

    At first the honor was the dignity,
    The seduction and the glow

    Perhaps it’s just to make the days gone appear worthwhile,
    So near the grail, instead of elation, concessionary eyes back-roll

    these are haunting thoughts or questions...why

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  8. Fred! I love this writing you! Sojourn on, brother...the tale you weave brings forth the great gods to rise and bow before you ;) Thor's hammer bears no weight of judgement here...I LOVED this BUT...I've a bum ankle...prone to snapping, have you ever REALLY heard an ankle snap..still slightly stomach sick over that line! Seriously loved the write...and sincerest apologies for my babble!

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  9. Glad people enjoyed the piece. Was a bit torn about doing an internal piece. I tend to like incorporating a bit more gore into my mythical jaunts- Tash, yeah my ankle snaps all the time- not like here though- It's weird because it get so tight and then it'll snap-which hurts- but it alleviates the tension- But I guess I'm not really talking about bone snapping- quick note- not sure if everyone knows this or not, but anyhow, when you hear a crack, it's not your bones, it's gas, no pat not that kind, that is built up and the snapping sound is it's release- Anyhow.

    Sorry to those who couldn't leave a comment last night due to a blogger snafu- but I've read it happened at others sites so hopefully it's taken care of- at least I hope- because I must have wrote Google countless times requesting them to fix the updates to feeds- which is to my last check a few months back.

    Anyway, I'm privileged to have you all read my work- thanks so much, the feedback is so good:)

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  10. Great piece as the cat said on twitter, really epic indeed, had a big long comment but Blogger had a snack, as it went on it's stupid attack.

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