The Boiling Man

There was a time when I fell so hard on my knees and I was only 17 when I wrote this. Years later, it's still taunting me, even in my sleep.

 

Shh, Listen...   There's A Man...   Playing An Unusual Violin...

 

With The Strings That Are The Nerves...   And The Veins...   From His Own Arms...

 

How Wonderous The Sounds...   Of The Agonies Made...   By The Slicing And Dicing...

 

Down With The Lambs...   Up With The Larks...

 

Run To The Beds, Children...   Before It Gets Dark...

 

Around, Around The Sun We Go...   As The Moon Goes Around Us...

 

While The Parts Of Us Are Dying...   In The Slow And The Painful Ways...

 

We Do Not Die Of Death...   We Die Of The Vertigo...

 

Run, Dying Breeds, Run...   Like There's No Time...   And No Tomorrow...

 

Yet, We're All Still Gonna Die One Way...   Or Another...   No Matter What...

 

And I Just Saw The Dead...   Small And Great...  Stand Before The God...

 

I Witnessed The Blood Of The Christ...   Dripping On All Of Their Skins...

 

This Is Just Another Altar...   Inside The Church...   Of The Fears And The Pains...

 

Now, I Know Why Jesus Wept...

 

Author's Note

This writing was inspired by James O'Barr, the creator of "The Crow"... (Thanks, James)

Reviews

[Wolfwind Words]

This i found to be a unique read. It's different format cause my mind to spin around alot like the images that you presented.
I liked how it was heart felt. The feelings of dispare and helplessness, seemed to fling out like and open blender.
Good read!
Thanks for sharing!

[PureSyn]

Your formatting of this poem only adds to its impact. It allows for the kind of intensity that leaves one in a type of panic...and the reader can sense the feel of it; your dark imagery provides such vivid scenes in ones mind...thats Rich! Fear of life, fear of death...feelings of helplessness, all embraced inside a spiritual awakening of the soul that unveils in your closing lines;
"And I Just Saw The Dead... Small And Great... Stand Before The God...
Witnessed The Blood Of The Christ... Dripping On All Of Their Skins...
This Is Just Another Altar... Inside The Church... Of The Fears And The Pains...
Now, I Know Why Jesus Wept..."
A profound read!

Nicole

[Lauren]

interesting. kinda gruesome. It has a very interesting format and i like the way you spin images into my head. i liked the part about the lambs and the larks. granted im not entirly sure what it means but it has a really nice ring to it.
bravo
Lauren

[Andrea A. Wentz]

Grotesquely beautiful. I really enjoyed the visuals presented here of the man playing a violin with strings from his own flesh. Very disturbing, but I gather that was the point. Very well done!

[JoSamarthi]

Profound and dark, great flow of words here Joseph! It was as if death was personified and fear was it's stalker, it was as if pain was transmogrified into a fearful creature lurking in the corner ready to pounce upon the unaware, it was as if the light at the end of the tunnel was turned off.. it was as if God was a mere mortal....

[EFidelity]

I love the last line and the line "we do not die of death." Love is stronger than death. I like the style of your writing. Keep writing. Peace, Donna

[SM Davis]

I thought I had reviewed this...I'm sorry it's taken so long. I love the emotions that you have spilled into this. I enjoyed the format and I think you have an amazing talent for the display how it feels to have such thoughts and brokenness...

[Nicole (Carpe Diem)]

what a great piece of writing... very powerful...
fantastic job

[An Ordinary Woman]

Shh, Listen... There's A Man... Playing An Unusual Violin...

Your beginning line is so strong and the rest flows freely from there, wow. This is a very interesting write. The chosen structure works well for this and the message is strong, especially how you ended it. I like it a lot and am glad you sent it to me. Thank you for that.

Very cool and original poetry.

[H. A. M.]

We Do Not Die Of Death... We Die Of The Vertigo...
I like the thought of that. Like it's not the fall that kills you it's the sudden stop.
Tee hee.
This brings up those thoughts of redemption well. The imagery in the first part really grabs a hold.
The next to the last line I had to think about.
This Is Just Another Altar... Inside The Church... Of The Fears And The Pains...
this is similar to saying replacing one crutch for another. That's how I read it. I could be wrong.
The positive spin is jesus is crying over the sins of people out of compassion.
The other is people are still being hurt in his name.
Quite the write.

Oh, How Wonder The Sounds... I'm just used to hearing wonderful.
still cool.

[Kasey Klein]

Hey Joe.

Love the line: We Do Not Die Of Death... We Die Of The Vertigo...

In something I wrote years back, I called the Earth: "Like a ball of mud rushing through space as if thrown by a god."

The choice to use "The Christ" and not "Christ" says much.

Let me be candid. I'm not much on poetry. I'm a Frost, Whitman and Poe fan. (Frost's "Out! Out!" could be one of the best things ever laid down on paper, if you've not seen it)

As anyone who owns a pen, I've put down some verse. I've got over a hundred poems. I consider a handful any good, maybe a couple of them ever great. In that, I don't consider myself a poet; I'm an interloper.

Anyway (again, your use of capitals bothers my eyes, but I'm adjusting) I like the rhythm you offer up here. It's got a good beat.

"Now, I know why Jesus wept" is a great finish.