Feather~

~Dying is an art , like everything else. I do it exceptionally well~ Sylvia Plath

Inside the luminous arena

of coruscating souls

they took my arms

in their place

wings seeded

swelled

from my shoulder blades

a dove made of snowflakes and sugar crystals

gave herself  form from my right hip

much to the delight

of the man

who was poured from Egyptian  gold

a crystal goblet to his smiling lips

ambrosia stains at the corners of his mouth

he offered an eagle’s feather

in the space between my abdomen

and the sacral hollow of my spine

I bent into the headdress of his craft

feathers curling from my eyelids

cream skull softening

to receive the meliflous down

of the a swan

a crown of melodious sparrows

circling my sentience

 

Later

on the ice

we did figure eights

sipping steaming latte

topped with dreams

curling steam

into a future wisp

he said,

“put your lips together, and blow”

a puff of air

red rose petals

ascending the sky

 

They took my wings

in their place

arms grew from my shoulder blades;

it took a while to be comfortable

with being human

again

 

Sometimes

on top of tall places

I wonder

if my arms

and sheer will

would hold me up

if I were to take a step 

out

onto a passing cloud

 

 

 

copyright:2010vssmd/amusemusepress

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Author's Note

~NDE~

Reviews

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

When the soul spreads wings to fly from the shadows of life into the light of truth, the visions that one must see must be amazing. Whatever the scientific explanations, the experiences are real to the individual having the NDE. To relinquish wings and return to earth … how could one ever possibly be the same?

You so easily step onto a higher plane, spread your wings of thought, and descend, bringing with you such visions of loveliness, that we are all inspired and changed forever.

"You live on Earth only for a few short years which you call an incarnation, and then you leave your body as an outworn dress and go for refreshment to your true home in the spirit." - White Eagle

[ice]

"I bent into the headdress of his craft
feathers curling from my eyelids
cream skull softening
to receive the meliflous down
of the a swan..."
(Selene)

*"How can those terrified vague fingers push
The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?"
(W.B.Yeats)

Only Leda was seduced by a God, perhaps the woman in this poem was also,
Becoming part Goddess

"Sometimes
on top of tall places
I wonder
if my arms
and sheer will
would hold me up
if I were to take a step
out...."
(Selene)

*"So mastered by the brute blood of the air,
Did she put on his knowledge with his power..."
(Yeats)

What I do know for sure, is that this poem is like a myth
Mysterious, and dark in places, as myths should be..
I enjoyed it very much.

ice
* W.B. Yeats...from "Leda and the swan"

[Aven]

Selene, breathtaking wisdom... the last stanza grabbed me in a most pleasant chokehold, I held my breath until the last word in fear of ruining this soulful place that you have so vividly built before our eyes. missed reading your poetry!

[OT]

Beautifully written!! such power to your skilled words! the notion of being reborn and the overwhelming sensation of freedom!! The last few lines truly grab us, as we all wish to step out onto that cloud! your vocabulary is brilliant!

[AlieahRose]

I LIKE THAT...
I FEEL AS IF...
I AM I A FANTASY WORLD...
NICE JOB...

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

WOW... it is like being transported to heaven on earth... such breathtaking visuals... I think Sylvia Plath would be quite proud of you.

[Brad]

d****t...i just got through my last sylvia plath book, and reading her alongside charles bukowski is very disheartening...you've captured her essence here so well that i thought i was still on the last page

[paul]

you flow like birds fly
and you
write magical phrases

[Kathryneo]

You feel so much and all of it is good. The feeling, that is. The writing is exquiite. To feel, we need to do that, above all else.

[Ruth]

I LOVE the Plath quote love :) lol
This poem is breathtaking! This holds silvery tones amongst the the experience - a path of a life after life, a vision that for a lot of people is never seen, until the end, even when those wings adorn us, are we able to walk off that tall place? We shall see, I guess!
Excellent, moving work, as always sweety xx

[Champagne]

The second stanza is a pure delight to read. 'Later/on the ice/we did figure eights/sipping steaming latte/topped with dreams' - there is radiant joy and yet the invitation of coming melancholy - achieving what poetry was meant to achieve - stirring the soul. This poem talks of the unrealized dreams of the spirit, and how in our limited forms we are still able to dream beyond it. Hope and joy, and everything in between.