an old poet's kingdom

an old poet's kingdom

 

 

 

the dusty pile of books

on a desk of madness

i wrote with purpose once

 

then the keys lost their way

words obliterated my sanity

now i stare at a screen of sovereignty

 

i am king of my own white space

margins of rebellion,

there is a coup

 

and i am embroiled in my own alphabet soup

picking at the letters

dementia's child,

no longer the grownup in the room

 

i tap the keyboard with vacant fingers

in my rubber room frame of mind

 

and the dust deepens

i hear a car go by out on the gravel road of my interior design

 

it is lost

but sounds like life

i am lost

but no longer make any viable sounds

 

just let the dust settle

imagining one day,

i will reclaim the throne 

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

12/21/16

Reviews

[Lydia Shutter]

"in my rubber room frame of mind" there is a phrase I can easily relate to especially when writer's block hits. I stare at a piece of paper or the blank screen and NOTHING comes to mind. Then a thought tiptoes across the screen, but vanishes before I can catch it. The dust does eventually settle, though. Writing about it always helps. I enjoyed this one. Lydi**

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Lydi.

j.

[Alfred Kukitz]

When your genius erupts it's like the third bottle of Chimay, a Trappist monk ale, that swirls inside the soul of a fellow friend.

There are many reasons for the Pushcart Prize I see evidence on my eyelids.

Regards,
Al

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind words, my friend...
j.

[...]

'I am king of my own white space' wow that's an awesome line! Great mantra to inspire ones pen. I enjoyed this very much. Starz x

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Starz...

j.

[Beccy]

I think you would have been happy, beard bent and trailing inky quills across parchment; and you are not alone in this. These are different, often frenetic times, but a poet still needs time to dream and dwell on all the unanswered questions.

Will the screen ever remain the supreme power? Probably, but it is nice sometimes to imagine otherwise.

Beccy.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, it is, Beccy...that is for sure...

thank you for your kind review, Beccy...
read moreyes, it is, Beccy...that is for sure...

thank you for your kind review, Beccy...
j.

[Jimmy Yetts]

Not sure what you're referring to, here.
Your readers see no indication of a verbal "coup."
If mere age be the problem, I can say this: The short-term memory is almost always affected. Creativity, however, may actually increase.
Of course, you may not even be talking about yourself. In that case...nevermind!
Amazing piece!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

appreciate your words, Jimmy...

j.

[Norman 223]

To become "embroiled" in our world of writing is surely our device for creating our own space. Crs surely just a fresh canvas for you toeativity does not thrive in a vacuum.
Your white space, Jacob, is a fresh white canvas waiting for your words to paint another of your intricate and original images, of which you are a master.

Norman

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind review, Norman.

j.

[cs richardson]

Believe me, your loss of words is an illusion. Foggy sights, foggy brains, words we cannot remember or spell, or perhaps more importantly, our belief that the words will matter, ah, those days must be borne with regal dignity. Thank you, always a pleasure to read your work.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, cs.

j.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

I am the king of my own white space...how empowering is that! You are a king of kings J!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Queenie...

j.

[Einstein Noodle]

oh i was sure your speaker would jump into that car for a great adventure ;) your verse with "dementia's child in it is sobering ..i am willing to guess that no one has not had its fingers brush their soul .. its a frightening thing to imagine one may succumb .. the best part of it not knowing is ridiculous being the very thing that is frightening ..in your poem we have a poet bemoaning the loss of inspiration ..and low and behold ..he creates a poem on it :))))
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, E.

j.

[Einstein Noodle]

especially like the pile of books on a desk of madness :}

[andrew mitchell]

its a kingdom of your own making, nice to have control over something being in this case writing somewhat a holiday abode if thats the word.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

that just may be the word...thank you, andrew.
j.