Destitute Majesty

The most powerful poems have more than one meaning

Its tenebrous beauty swallows me whole

Taking my dreams and shaking my soul

The infinite void presses my doubts

Changing my creed and removing my shroud

I have nowhere to hide from this ubiquitous pitch

Pervading my spirit and tearing my stitch

I am drowning within my own cognition

At the sight of this expansive opposition

Logic becomes a powerless fool

At the feet of this aphotic jewel 

Our trivial minds cannot grasp its splendor

For it is neither the side nor the center

I surrender, I surrender

Reviews

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear N.B. Mowery

Thank you for saying hello.

I thought, I would come and look at your poetry, opened this first piece and then nearly fell off my chair!

I am not usually effusive in my reviews, keeping to measured tones. But in the face of this little 'aphotic jewel' under which bushel have you been hiding your light?

I often do structured reviews. Not in this case.

My reviews are often rather long. But in this case (at least by own standards) I shall keep this brief.

Numbered points in random order by way of reaction:

1) A thirteen line stanza, rhyming in couplets until the last three lines which all rhyme. Very tightly structured and admirably so.

2) Use of English: Luxuriantly rich. 'tenebrous' 'ubiquitous' 'apposition' 'aphotic' You are clearly a wordsmith of some quality.

3) Meaning? You wish, you say, to give more than one meaning. So is the reader then left like a bloodhound to find both? You tempt the reader to guess. But as ever only the writer owns the meaning. The reader may guess and guess wrong, but is entitled, in fact must, in the end apply their own interpretation and here is mine.

The whole piece is redolent of an exhumation. The dead in his shroud, its stitch being torn. Everything is in contrast - life and death in 'apposition' light and darkness.

In the end you are brought back to life, you live no longer in the world where plants do not grow, in the world of the lifeless.

Your mind cannot comprehend, its logic defeated, once destitute in front of 'Majesty', you surrender.

This is the world of the Bible, whatever other meaning the poem may hold, perhaps the Old Testament and Ezekiel.

God is the bringer of light where previously darkness reigned and you have just brightened up this website with your own majesty, that of skilfully crafted poetry.

This for me is a brief review. But if anything all the more meaningful for it.

A wonderful piece of work.

Bravo.

Your friend


James Hanna-Magill

[Nix]

Thank you so much! I usually leave it up to the reader to decide what the meaning is. I have always found that if you thrust an idea at someone it will most likely not last, but if you lead someone to the idea and let them "find" it themselves then they will take it as their own and it will flourish. Thank you so much for your review! It definitely means something to be complimented by such a prolific artist. And you are quite the "wordsmith" yourself! I have to admit I stumbled over the pronunciation of some of your words! Once again thank you! I would love if you did have any constructive criticism also.
P.S. Have you published any of your work?

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear N.B. Mowery

Thank you for that.

In my reviews, I tend to seek balance between positive and adverse critique. So if there is something I dislike or a change I would propose, I will say so in a gentle way. Likewise if I find something praiseworthy, I do the same.

But in this case I found nothing to complain about at all.

If that is so it is merely because I found it well written.

Yes I have been published but not in any significant way. Split, is my first novel, which I have put on here for critique and (just as you) I wish as much adverse critique as I can get.

When getting ready to publish something, it's nice to know where a book works, but even better to know where it doesn't, when in heavy edit mode.

If you review anything of mine, I would encourage you to undertake a chapter by chapter review of Split.

It is a book about mental health disorders, in particular mine (bipolar disorder). It is fact told in a novelistic way - to comfort those who suffer and to educate those who don't.

A proportion of the proceeds will be streamed to mental health charities.

I shall be back to review more of your writing soon.

Your friend

James

[Nix]

I would love to read and attempt to critique "Split"! Although I don't know that I have much to offer in the way of advice. But I'll try anyways! Thank you for your time.

[James Hanna-Magill]

No problem. bear in mind in relation to any novel, all readers are good readers, as they are all potential buyers, James

[Nix]

Touche!

[Phantom Heart]

These are the types of poems I like to read! You have some excellent words here, great imagery, and I can't decide what my favorite line is. "ubiquitous pitch"
"logic becomes a powerless fool
At the feet of this aphotic jewel"
I have to read this a few more times.

[Nix]

Thank you! Ubiquitous has to be one of my favorite words....

[Eddie Phillips]

There is power an meaning to your words. I love a expansive vocabulary. Not to many poems use "Aphotic" You speak of growth in the presence of darkness in this poem. You also speak of being surrounded by the void all around you. Yet we surrender to that which is all around but unseen. We hold on to the faith. To have faith in the darkness is a powerful thing. To grasp and hold onto faith in the darkness is the definition of belief. Wonderful poem! Thank you for sharing.

[Nix]

Thank you! I like to think of the night sky as god. He pervades your every thought but you don't really "See" him.

[Eddie Phillips]

Forgive me. I can sometimes get very metaphorical. I really enjoyed your poem. Sorry I went on a tangent. LOL

[Nix]

NO! I love when people read into my writing! And metaphors are poetry's most powerful tool!

[Zelle]

simple yet powerful write..

[Nix]

Thanks!