Monday, November 3, 2014

The Beauty.


She is the color of Swahili Aphrodite laid
against the night sky—not limited to darkness.


She kisses the sun red
to blend the bloodshed
down to a matter of perspective
so her view of the world isn't so bad.
Her presence brings a tear to the eye
like raindrops that distort your
reflection on the edge of a pond.
She dances off the high of long-winded
debates on heaven and hell's existence
while running her hands over loved
ones whose time has yet to come.


All after washing the dirt
of religion from her socks
one last time in the same
bathwater she used to
cure her loneliness.



©2014 Anthony Desmond Scott. All Rights Reserved.
 
writing from the perspective of the dead for Poetics...


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32 comments:

Claudia said...

that last image is a strong one...the washing the dirt of religion off in the same bathwater she used to cure her loneliness...makes me sad how religion leaves us empty and lonely...for me only a personal relationship with him can cure that emptiness...

brudberg said...

It seems walking around a dead woman is a lonely walk... Being left in a calmness that maybe she never felt, but in a terrible boredom..

Sumana Roy said...

"while running her hands over loved / ones whose time has yet to come."...the lines are full of indulgence, love, yearning & ...the last stanza is stunning..wow...

Grace said...

Wow, opening lines are very striking ~ She is a goddess of the earth, of life ~

This is a beauty Anthony ~

Brian Miller said...

she dances high of the debates of heaven and hells existence...ha....the dead would know...and who will before we get there...and why argue over it anyway...we will find our way once we get there.....empty religion for the sake of religion is a dead man itself...

Mary said...

Well, it seems that the debate on heaven and hell will go on until the end of time; and we won't know everything until we have crossed the great divide. I do think religion often has a lot of 'dirt' to be washed out of it, but unfortunately that is due to humans not to God.

Gabriella said...

She sounds as if she has always been lonely, not just since she died. Yet she addresses fundamental and very human issues.

Glenn Buttkus said...

The gods populate religions by the thousands, rife with mandate, club rules. manifestos, manipulation. I agree, A., that your last stanza is killer (no pun intended).

Anonymous said...

The last stanza, as mentioned by others, is powerful. The beginning of the poem invites one to know her more and then the pace slackens to paint vivid images of her despair, moving on to the eventual end. Great job. :-)
-HA

ayala said...

Strong and great. The ending is awesome.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Beautifully done, a swirl of color.....and the closing lines so poignant. I love your wall of masks!

mrs mediocrity said...

Oh my, this is fabulous, it's own life force pulses through it, and that ending is incredible...what an image!

Wolfsrosebud said...

so many lives not lived to the fullest of why they were created... you captured hopelessness

Anonymous said...

So haunting and powerful...that last line hits hard.

Mon.Esprit said...

Some really powerful images Anthony, but this is my favorite.

"Her presence brings a tear to the eye
like raindrops that distort your
reflection on the edge of a pond. "

Anonymous said...

Visually amazing.

Anonymous said...

What a groovy piece. Love the opening couplet and last stanza.

Katie Mia Frederick said...

My interpretation is she 'cured' herself of a void that religion alone cannot fill..
by drowning herself in the literal dirty bathwater of religion....

Yes.. i can find truth in most religions.. but the dirty bathwater...

is no easy smell...

to get rid of.. but i guess i can learn to tolerate...

almost any smell..

as i still go.. and just quieten my voice.. when the dirty
water words come....that i refuse to repeat..

for love of truth...

tHere is no baptism.. to cure truth..

@least for me..

Smiles.. and nice to comment on your poetry again..:)

Cressida de Nova said...

Interesting poem. I interpreted this one as not using religion as a crutch to avoid living.

Kathryn Dyche said...

so much strength in this piece mirrored by the softness of her running her hands over loved ones.

Roslyn Ross said...

Deft use of words to bring the images alive.

janet said...

Powerful images and emotions here.

janet

Kathy Reed said...

.."the reflection of the edge of a pond" is exceptionally poignant here...and there is a lot of wisdom in this poem ..important to be free from religion

Myrna R. said...

This is exquisite Anthony. Beautifully written woman's perspective of death. Love it.

Anonymous said...

this has a very mystical feel to it.

Susan said...

Oh, the magic of the bathwater cure! The renewed blessings of the old ones and ways! Finely honed!

Justin Lamb said...

"while running her hands over loved
ones whose time has yet to come."

I like the image of The Beauty comforting those still alive. Nicely done.

vb holmes said...

Unique imagery, Anthony--very successful.

Truedessa said...

I can feel the loneliness..Water is cleansing in many ways..but, can it wash away the scent of death.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

I love the magickal qualities you give her at the outset - leading gradually to the double-take at the end as I realise HOW she cured her loneliness ...which makes sense of the 'bloodshed' alluded to earlier....

Stacy M.S. said...

beautiful and powerful write....especially that last stanza!

Anonymous said...

visually striking and impactful ~