BLOODY INDEED

See notes below.

I.
"For this was on Saint Valentines Day..."

How will you take
your February art?
On paper-cut cardboard hearts
or in the elasticity
of spoken-word history?

With what would you like
to propose a red toast?
Fresh blood from the palm
transfusions of soul handshakes
or love-martyr blood
like metaphor wine
nursed from a youth of irony sour
to a venerable senior of syrupy sweet?

II.
"Young men will do't if they come to't"

No solace in the red lounge
of royal Rome for Mrs. Cruel
not when a fool's golden rule
aims to cut the city mattresses in half
or the heads of holy matchmakers

Make love not war
muse soldiers into shot-ready right hands
while their Christian whistle-blowers
butt principles with Mr. Cruel
the Pagan horn-blower

Dirty money best be on the holder
of the name of Claudius
the Roman gut-checker
not the Dutch home-wrecker
inverted in-law to a love-dead maid
posing as a life-dead flower queen
when the scent of player seed didn't cut it

Who's to blame Mrs. sane Hamlet?
the c**k on the skin
or the one in the sky?

III.
"...and Fortune said it should be you"

At least no dueling conversion campaigns
have slipped on old blood puddles
stumbling their way onto
pop culture's auditorium
defacing the crystallization
of youth's take on the war
of the mythic beefcakes:
six-pack lycans and sick-hot vamps
expurgate lore's chronicles of unholy slaughters
in the name of scimitar teeth
with the silent joust of dream-catching pouts

The mood declines amplification through
battle cries and machismo maledicts
settling for soft soundtracks
of democratic heartbeats

Gloss armories of paper-shield walls
hold tongue swords clamoring
for idol cheek occupation
a whatever giggle in the face
of overbearing history and leather-lunged
threats of verbatim grounding

Finally a war that facilitates
no need for soldiers to learn
how to make beds and no fear
of civilians who want to go to church
and not have to vote there

The sole ghost to fear
in this foolproof social machine
is the armistice of adulthood
maybe more deadly than the growth spurt
of dream riots unleashed by the
fleshification of photo-manipped
impossibilities

All the blood festivals of youth
and the lip gloss line-ups
auditioning for emperors and monarchies
of eligibility envy
only to wind up in the library of adulthood
being informed that history
makes valentines of us all

Author's Note

The title of the first part is from Chaucer's Parlement of Foules:

"For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make"

There is a whole other story related to the link between birds and the holiday but I didn't get a chance to work any of that in.

The title of the second part is from one of Ophelia's songs in Hamlet (Act 4.5). A reference to Valentines traditions is in the first song. At the time, "cock" had two meanings and one of them was God (which is awkward).

The title of the third part is from the "Roses are red and violets are blue" song from Gammer Gurton's Garland (1784) which give birth to some of the modern Valentine traditions.

Finally the last lines are a reference to the blanket name given to early Christian martyrs.

02 03 11

Reviews

[Androglossia]

Did I sense hypocrisy on here? My nativity did not allow my perception to go overboard. Or it's just me. When I decided to read this piece, I made sure to have a glass of water and an aspirin on my nightstand. No I wasn't overreacting. I thought I was going to war. War of words that is. I'm almost positive that one of my high school teachers made a mention of a certain Claudius Glaber and Hamlet because they seem to ring a bell or maybe it was only my alarm clock ringing?(ok, I was trying to pass a joke there). The truth is, in my country, people delve so much into the history of the prominent countries that colonized their land like a wife that could not get over a cheating husband:) Making Rome an exclusion.


six-pack lycans and sick-hot vamps
expurgate lore's chronicles of unholy slaughters
in the name of scimitar teeth
with the silent joust of dream-catching pouts

I felt this an implicit mockery on the bold attitude that most youths are showing these days or do you loathed Twilight so much that you decided to mention this?

All the blood festivals of youth
and the lip gloss line-ups
auditioning for emperors and monarchies
of eligibility envy
only to wind up in the library of adulthood
being informed that history
makes valentines of us all

Yes, I've noticed it too. Many if not all of the younger generations don't pay much attention on history despite of their many attempts to re-create the glamour of the old-word. Well I guess we all had been to a point when we loved werewolves and vampires, kings, times when were stupefied by superficial love. But things change when we get older and knowing love is harder as we come of age making memories of an easy love everyday a valentine's day. Was I even making any sense?

Trivia: I hate Twilight.

[kublakhan27]

Hypocrisy? Check. War of words? Check. Mocking? Check. Twilight hate? Check. This may be the most precise interpretation anyone has ever offered on one of my pieces...thou hast nailed it, Maryanne ;)

[Androglossia]

Phew! I'm glad. So glad.

[kublakhan27]

;D

[Frieda P]

Holy Mackerel, geez...that's the first stupid thing that flew into my head for some reason. My, my, we do Valentine's justice, don't we? Where to start, there is no place really, it was incredibly rancorous and deep in it's entirety. Not sure which I like better 'mystic beefcakes' or the 'life-dead flower queen'! You 'cut the city mattresses in half' with this one! Seriously, just one peek into your mind is all I want, then I'll take it from there............

[kublakhan27]

Haha it's okay, that's not far from the sentiment I carried in my own mind when I went back and read this in its entirety, wondering where the hell it all came from ;P Welcome to Valentine's Day in my world, from the perspective of three different eras haha I mentioned this to Robbie as well, but I wondered (and still do) if I crossed the line of self-indulgence with this one...having said that, I do hold this one close to the chest, mine that is, as there are no other ones to hold it close to haha My mind is always open for viewing though, so I'm glad you accepted the invitation ;)

[Frieda P]

You're such a knucklehead sometimes, it's yours, own it! Poets have the right to be self indulgent when you think how much of us spills out and we give away...

[quinfinn]

augh! thank goodness you cleaned up Chaucer's gibberish! i would rather endure a ground glass enema than read that gobbledegook! i love the way you mixed (or ,rather, intertwined) modern language with the relics and nuances of history in this stunningly visual and disturbing piece. at one point i didn't know whether to slit my wrist, take a drink, jerk off, go blind or lose control of my bowels...Claudius always gives me pause to ponder...i was a little disappointed that you never mentioned Caligula herein, it would have rocked the whole piece. still, this is just freekin' awesome, Kahn!

[kublakhan27]

LOL Don't worry, I've never felt the urge to channel Chaucer at any point in my literary life, but I had to make an exception for this one, so I urge you not to go through with that enema...I'd never forgive myself for inspiring such an activity haha o_o I am happy to know however that I was able to conjure up such an eclectic variety of reactions...trust me, I had lots of other ideas and historical figures in mind at the time of writing, but this was as concise as I could get in the finished article...thank you so much for the in-depth review and compliments :)

[Frieda P]

'ground glass enema' sorry couldn't pass that one up on the live feed! jaysus!

[kublakhan27]

Haha yes, props to Quin for a very, um, unique response ;P

[Frieda P]

Not sure who needs a hug more between the two of you! ;-)

[quinfinn]

a euphemism i created to describe agonizing pain....happy to provide such entertainment!

[kublakhan27]

Haha if that was a euphemism I shudder to think of the blunt version :P

[kublakhan27]

I'll get back to you on that hug offer tomorrow Frieda ;P

[quinfinn]

trust me, you don't wanna know!

[kublakhan27]

And I believe you haha

[quinfinn]

;)

[Frieda P]

Can't leave you guys alone for a second!

[kublakhan27]

Haha I bet you thought only "girl talk" was scandalous ;P

[quinfinn]

i think Frieda is going for a quinfinn/kublakahn sandwich...kinky girl

[Frieda P]

ha is that the special of the day?

[kublakhan27]

LOL Definitely the line of the day right there...

[Frieda P]

haha, well I was really in the mood for Mexican.... ;-)

[kublakhan27]

This is Canada here...you get maple syrup or you go hungry LOL Not that I think you would turn that down either ;)

[Frieda P]

If it's pure I'm there, hate that fake stuff, but I'm not really into sweet...what else ya got up there?

[kublakhan27]

Oh it comes right from the trees up here...you won't get it any purer than that haha We also have some of the best beer on the planet, but I can speak from reputation on that front :P

[kublakhan27]

only from reputation I mean haha

[Frieda P]

Ha only had syrup form Vermont trees, when I was in Canada, we were in Montreal and Quebec...

[kublakhan27]

I'm not sure if they make it in Quebec but I'd be surprised if they didn't...you can certainly buy the pure stuff there though.

[Frieda P]

You know a place called Chicootame..I know that's not how you spell it...but i have no clue how to....

[kublakhan27]

Chicoutimi :)

[Frieda P]

That looks about right, when we were there they took us in ambulance w/all French speaking staff in an ambulance, my son had 106 temp...what a trip!

[quinfinn]

guess i segued outta that one somehow.....

[kublakhan27]

Oh my...I'm glad things turned out alright, that's a nasty temp x_x

[Frieda P]

That's what happens when you snooze hon...

[Frieda P]

We still tease him that's when he got his brain damage ha ;-)

[quinfinn]

i had to go get my supper, and just for bein' mean you don't get any of it.....

[kublakhan27]

Haha no it's just hard to keep up with Frieda and I :P If Kels happens to catch this thread, she can tell you all about Quebec :)

[Frieda P]

Is it Mexican, then I might make nice....

[Destinyxi]

Of course they make it here haha. We have something called la Cabane a sucre. Sugar Cabin in english. They're little places a little up north where they melt the maple syrup, put it on snow, and we roll it up with popsicle sticks. So good mmmm x.x

[kublakhan27]

Mmmm is right...my sweet tooth just woke up ;)

[Frieda P]

'where's 'here' by the way?

[quinfinn]

no, it is seafood, crablegs, shrimp, hushpuppies, and filet of flounder fried in tempura batter with malt vinegar...guess i lose the door prize

[kublakhan27]

Here would be Quebec, though there is no shortage of seafood in my part of the country.

[Frieda P]

No that would be fine my lovely quin *bats eyelashes* love seafood too...!

[quinfinn]

well, get yerass over here before i eat it all...

[Frieda P]

I wish, I'm still stuck here!

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Oh honey, this is a dark Valentine piece indeed!

...so unexpected!...I think I'll have the wine please!! LOL

You have an unequivocal approach to Valentine's day K! Very strong, very intense write. Well done...you need a hug! (((HUG)))~xo~

[kublakhan27]

Thank you my dear, I'm glad you were able to tap into the essence of this piece, I've always wondered if I got a bit too self-indulgent with this one haha ;P Thank you for the hugs, I'm always happy to receive those, especially from you *big hugs back* :)

[kublakhan27]

*passes the wine* ;)

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Keep indulging. ;)
Now I'm happy!...going to have a nice lunch with this glorious wine!... Happy (upcoming) Valentine's day sweet K!

[kublakhan27]

Haha I will do my best though indulging seems to come naturally ;) Enjoy that lunch and wine and have a great day :) xoxo

[Robbie~xoxo~]

will do!...you too, sweetie! Laters ;)

[Pax]

wow, what an intensity in a write.... each stanza leaves me into each different scenes of my imaginations...

awesomeness!!!!

[kublakhan27]

Thanks so much :) I had a feeling this one would be broken up just looking at the ideas I had scribbled down before actually writing it lol

[Pax]

smile. your welcome

[MOON]

Beautiful explanation gory rather than roses are red valentine of today.

[kublakhan27]

Thanks very much, I went as far back into history as I could to come up with this :P

[Castonovia]

Brilliant title, reminded me of "My Bloody Valentine" the movie, gory, but gorgeous in both dark humor and lushous descriptions... intrigueing twist of a write, well penned indeed :)

[kublakhan27]

Thanks so much :) I did in fact have the movie's title in mind when I had to title the poem...it just seemed to fit lol

[Castonovia]

Perfect and you're welcome ;)

[quixotic_rose]

Not gonna lie, I was pretty confused. But confused in the good way, I got it finally after reading it like three times haha :) and the explanation helped alot. Overall it was very excellent, great descriptions and imagery. :) awesome job!

[kublakhan27]

Thank you so much :) and yes I did design it in a way that would encourage multiple readings ;)

[quixotic_rose]

You def got the multiple reading part down good :) haha

[kublakhan27]

haha thanks :)

[SmileBig :)]

Hmm, I like it :) very good!

[kublakhan27]

Many thanks :)

[afra]

beautiful .....good job once again

[kublakhan27]

Many thanks^^

[B-poet]

I like the way you've depicted your metaphorical vision. It is very passionate and colorfully bloody. Great write. :)

[kublakhan27]

Thank you so much :)