Barcelona

You were dancing in a dark flamenco dress

I listened as the castanets made their Spanish tears

believing we were broken from the heart

 

everything inside our lives was buried, and

everything outside we held within,

This world was shattered for pieces and patterns;

 

your body in time began to harden with ritual

 

and when god tossed out his riddles

we forgave him his lot when he showed us how to kill

 

you were never one for this

clusters of birds swept in view and you left them untouched

hovering, while the world gave us stairways to climb

and liquid days of summer

 

our sound belonging to the beaches where we died in Barcelona

with the waves slipping from the brush of Spanish sky

our bodies clean, as the rumors from the silent snow

where we wept for the wings or the black butterfly

 

these sleepless days we had all but forgotten

yellow gentled lights placed over branches of white birch 

we discovered death with white roses and the children

carried our paled bodies miles down the gravel of a lonely hill

 

they poured their tiny red bottles; the intention of wine on the sand and somehow their shedding from a smile blessed our memory...

they poured our eyes into the goblet of a broken star

staring at the silver grin faced moon 

the lazy colors of that morning sun

 

you lifted without a word

pulling at the broken doors of heaven 

determined to live our lives once again

but we were lovers you and I; soft flowers of the mid September and they saw this through and through

 You were dancing the older songs for the tiny chapel as I began to speak:

“ let us live again in the wet wilderness of summer

let us die just one more life again

there is still time enough,

time enough to paint the setting colors and the

songs of the birds on the branches Barcelona”

Reviews

[Avelina Devi]

Another master piece from you Perdition. Beautifully captured and penned.
It flows through your mind and sinks into the heart. I liked the place that this took me.
well done.

[Perdition]

"Partition"? Well I've actually been called worse by some less talented poets so I think I can live with it,lol. Happy Holidays and I hope it took you some place secluded and warm where the dancers are as kind as you are. Thank you so very much Xiamara ! Regards as always...Perdition.

[Avelina Devi]

Oh I do beg your pardon! I didn't even realize the mistake in your name, I just edited it lol. My apologies again for that little mishap.

And Happy Holidays to you also.

[Perdition]

Been there plenty of times myself..lol.

[barleygirl]

This might be the best one of yours I've ever read. I'm old & forgetful, so I don't remember what I read a month ago. But I never remember associating YOU with this kind of lyrical writing! I like your writing, but this one blows me away & makes me want to go mimic you right away before I forget the spell I'm under while reading this. I wish I could capture those mystical times we often carelessly traipse thru, as we stumble thru our lives, in a way that felt as magical as this poem does. I love all the imagery you use, it's all my favorite stuff, great details from the heavenly spell of nature (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Perdition]

Just reread it and ME TOO..lol. Wonderful how a simple burst of wind or a blinding ray of light off the cold mountain waters that will and can send our souls streaming into quiet places that we can only somehow hope to share. I'm glad you found this one Margie...Too often times I lose my children/poem by moving onward too quickly w/out that second I like to take just to tell myself things that only those waters can hear..well..those waters and now you ..so thank you and as always ((Hugs)) back toward the warmer climes ;)

[barleygirl]

I know what you mean. I write stuff & then promptly forget what I've written. It brings back a whole new exploration when someone digs up an old posting of mine. I know what you mean about moving on before we fully process what we've dug up in each piece! That's a brilliant point!

[Perdition]

sometimes a great thing sometimes a "NO I DIDN"T" thing..lol. either way you made me smile and remember just just how many poems that I have and I imagine we all do, left to edit and write as well. Thank you so very much Margie..Hugs as always!

[lightsong]

I was lost (in the good way for sure :) ) in Your words... lost as if I'm reading a novel, there is deep sincerity and serenity in them, a special part of You flowing like gentle waves, finding the way up into heavens, like a payer coming from the heart, a truth of life and death, and what lays in-between, the grieve which paved the extending range of spirit, the wisdom of mind, the love inside the being. just a little something that caught my eyes my friend, I think in the end of Your second verse it would be better if it was, "This world was shattered for pieces and patterns. ".

Thank You for sharing Your heart with us. a pleasure to read.

[Perdition]

Yeah..funny you caught that...it was originally that and in the process of editing it somehow got changed...I am my worst enemy but thank you so much and it will probably change one last time as I am on the final edit..but yes..it will go back to that. You brought me a smile though as this one as all of mine are, well "Perdition"..lol. Many thanks and hugs for the wonderful input.

[lightsong]

I normally don't give notes on editing someone's work, there are the experienced ones who do that, I'm but a simple poetess, besides I'm my own self terrible at doing it to my own works lol Yours was a "slip" this I do many many times too!

You are welcome "P" my friend :)

[Perdition]

Please...If you are ever here and have a point or anything..share. It's why were here and I just read your latest Couplet and was completely blown away so I would be honored with any advice. So agin thank you.

[Perdition]

Wonderful to have typos after editing all night..laughing. Hopefully you got it and understood.

[lightsong]

got it, and understood it all :), no worries, no one is better than me in making stupid errors lol

it's me whom is honored to receive Your "blown away" review, and believe me I will be here again soon :)

[Coyote Poetry]

A amazing poem my friend. You took the reader with you on a journey. I enjoyed the places and the thoughts. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote

[Perdition]

The Coyote..long time my friend and how these day get away don't they. Thank you for stopping bye, always appreciate the feedback from contemporaries such as yourself.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

Barcelona...death in puzzled fault...pretty neat ...pretty cool...like the forgiving God part. Love the living part....then lifted without a word

pulling the broken doors of gold and heaven

determined to live our lives once again

we were lovers, you and I; flowers of the bright morning sun, and the children felt this through and through-

[Perdition]

She's back!!

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

I'm never far....

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

still a bit broken....but still a bit hungry

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

coffee first...with poetry ...

[Perdition]

And yep...coffee sounds great right about now,,, POETRY..forget about it! Unless of course ya got some some Rumi around,,,or Oliver or Sexton. maybe Stafford or Poe...but I'd settle for Plath...unless you have some Hughes.or Lowell? OR...?..lol.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

I do but they are boxed for the winter approach.. this winter I will learn from old fellows like Perdition and Crowley and Silver... Ill learn to love my voice again and wipe away the shadows in my sights, feel overcome with inspirations of Joy. Share my liveliness in laughter and cunning. OR....maybe just drink coffee and sit by the fire...who knows:)

[Perdition]

Forgot to tell you " loose the "broken" keep the cannoli"

[Perdition]

'lose....I'm tired okay!

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

your tired everyday....its from all that astral planing.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

This is a very seducing piece...Im alive, Im dead, I hungry, thirsty, needy, powerful, serene.....many qualities ....ready.

[Perdition]

Yeah, sorta tired of that (being tired)...and as far as seductive well..have you ever watched the Spanish dancers..I grew up with castanets in the house...Or were they parents? I shot for the moon here then decided that a woman's heart was far richer and mysterious than the moon though they are closely connected so by all means feminine......be alive, dead, hungry, powerful, serene and .......ready! We who bear the writer's curse sorta live for that as well you know ;)

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

why does this feel like it has more space?

[Perdition]

Oh ...no reason..lol.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

pull that last stanza back up a bit..it seems now disconnected....poverty sainted instead of saintly?

[Perdition]

Hahaha...Okay..just let me be Perdition first and then once I'm done you can either lay the roses or load the bullets...I have to struggle you know this and you bet I listen. But in the end I'll get it close..almost. I always do..smiles you!

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

BUt you are not Perdition and I am the girl that feels everything or feels nothing and yesterday's version was the best feeling.

[Perdition]

Did you copy it? If not this is actually better but if you want then I'll get the original so you can smile again, Library it in a Perdition file cause you know I'm not going to be happy till i find my balance and it feels right feels right and I stayed up all night to get it here but you know how i feel about your art so just say the . word...but let it settle with you for a while. Ya might be surprised and the again ya might not. if not...i'll get the original. Tay?

[Perdition]

Yeah only one "feels right" you see how much i went into this torture?..lol.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

no I did not copy it and mine are only ....well you know. I will let revisit it again later to feel more....

[Perdition]

Your are more that the credit you receive, which is pretty suhstantial and above all you keep me at a level worthy of your madness and talent.Where would I be otherwise...so thank you. And I only hope you keep on torturing me in the manner you have come to achieve~

[Perdition]

*than the credit your receive.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

WHat? Are we still in retrograde??? What have you done with my shammy? Who are you? why are you being so appreciative? complimenting me ....sneaky sneaky trickster...but it's never really been about me but well we are in retrograde so it might be...but the statements without questions answering questions things is really scary! ...just in time for the beloved Halloween! Love the poem this morning with new eyes! Now let me go see what other rice crispie treat mess I can find! mmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Perdition]

Not so weird. you have always been a friend and now you have introduced yourself proper. How could I not appreciate the attention you have demanded from my writings. You are a Mad Hatter in a world of Alice's ...who couldn't appreciate that? Mwuahahahahaha!!! My favorite time of year!