Down at the crossroads

Down at the crossroads, where an old corner

to the lord of the winds became an abode

growing out of the gold of the green galore,

you will find out about the dying of days

when the frosty dawning will freeze out

the last breath of the warm breeze.

There you will learn, my friend, of the infinite ways

the maze of the ivy can choke the spells

and the enlightened chores of men

busy dusting the rust of past off their minds,

with the rub of tomorrow goading them

into knowing, eager, the revolving secrets of life.

Swirling in a killing storm of immobility,

knees are creased like cracking leaves by the glaze of the cold

and lured into the whirl of each tempting minute

of existence clenched to loss and rebirth,

so that my heart swings open

to welcome the innocence of repentant thoughts

inside the church of my most unsacred love.

Oh, how to mow the woes that crush the liver

for each hour forever gone?

Levered our souls roll over the pasture

and blow the rotten land pure,

cleared the carrions of pipe beams

shuddering out of gagging lilac dreams,

when a fleeting grasp of within chimes in

and limbs no longer grind for the gravity groan,

though bones and flesh still get smashed,

still hear the spill of the bloody spleen

that rings on,

and on, and on,

and on.

Reviews

[Sheila Kline]

The words from you penn certainly have a haunting sort of melody to them, and leave much to contemplate regarding plans of men, reasons for past and present behavior, and just what does it all mean for we all eventually do find about the dying of days..the last breath of life.
Insightful, and philosophical in nature, beauty to the ear when read aloud.
Well done!

[Laura Heilman]

"so that my heart swings open..." this poem is rhythmic, harsh, beautiful...

[Cool Handless Luke]

DT would be proud. This is just amazing stuff. Too many lines that pop for me to draw attention to just one. This piece is going into my library of ones to read again. Nice job DP.

[Leaner Pastures]

"Oh, how to mow the woes that crush the liver" is a great line. Really pulls the poem into a very visceral, tangible center, that starts with the ephemeral, wind swept crossroads. I like it.

[Ms. Gruye]

perhaps because I am not a lover of D. Thomas... don't hate me. I am underexposed. However, I heard a lot of Ike Reilly here, by which I mean disdain for the disorderly imposing needless order. Very clear in your use of repentant and unsacred.

In fact this whole piece pulled me at the second stanza. I cannot convery how much love I have for the ideas of the unsacred, though I did not know it until I read this piece.

Overall, this works wonderful to invoke sentiment then makes me second guess that. Well done.

Viva La

[W.k.kortas]

Lynne is right, there are certainly whispers of Thomas here, and that is certainly not a bad thing. The imagery is rich, the craftsmanship brimming with skill; this is some awfully fine work.

[cest la vie]

Our life's crossroads.. Interesting concept here..
This poem is rich with metaphors that makes me think of all of my life's events in a new light..
(Your love of DT is ever present. He would so enjoy this read..Yes..)