Arcadia

Blind, like one whom sleep comes over in a swoon, I stumbled into darkness and went down.

The songs we sing together

when we’re right in time
and right in tune

are the memories that will haunt me the most.

“Well I don’t feel better when I’m f*****g around.”

You flash me a smile because you’re being a stupid idiot.

But I once became stuck in a tetra-layered dream

Centered around that smile.

I woke up again and again hoping it was all real.

I take the higher octave, always, of course;

flighty sirens should sing this way.

My voice is thin, it floats up into the air to quiver and disappear.

And when I sing I’m always singing to myself,

just hoping that someone else will hear it.

But when you sing.

Your voice forms layers of depth

and it carries with almost no effort,

because my ears are tuned to this sound.

Today in this room of windows filled with sky

we will sing the same.

Help me I’m just not quite myself.

I can’t save you, Samwise.
I wish I could.
But I know I'm losing you either way.

When we finish the song, we seem to forget ourselves.

But I also forgot to draw another breath
so that the one I had caught somewhere in my ribs and from then
it would always hurt to breathe.



Tomorrow will be different.



We really believed that once.

Author's Note

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQHRjdlYbQU

The silly, sad song.

Reviews

[Tree]

That place where memory and dreams collide are rich, with inspiration. For me as a creative person it has always been a favorite source to draw upon. I think it is one of the reasons I was drawn to your work, that you mine the same fields I do, and I am familiar with that earth. I like the way that you relive the conversation, bringing your muse alive with foggy images and clusters of music and pain... A beautiful and sad piece that you finished in a haunting, and moving way

[just_teague]

I'm sorry I couldn't respond to this until now. I'm really honored by your praise, because quite frankly I really look up to your work. What I write is more of catharsis, as opposed to any real analysis. I don't have the stamina to commit to poetry the way you do. I just wanted to say thanks, for the review and for the work you post that lets me spend my time obsessing over words and artistic intent. I would have drawn few parallels between us, but I'm glad you see a connection here.

[.]

~ so beautiful... i relate to all the song references intensely...

"But I once became stuck in a tetra-layered dream
Centered around that smile.
I woke up again and again hoping it was all real."

~ stunning and overwhelming and brilliantly articulated...

"Today in this room of windows filled with sky
we will sing the same."

~ so consuming especially "windows filled with sky"...

~ and then the earnestness in these last few lines... moving beyond measure... yet i agree that tomorrow will be different... and that means it could be better... i believe in possibilities...