Saint Theresa

St. Teresa 

 

I have endured agonies, tonight’s 

Is no greater, but it is of divine 

Aspect, more holy and more terrible. 

It matters not, I relinquish control 

As pain cascades and fills the conscious mind, 

And blood absorbs the missive brought by pain; 

The heavenly decree - I must drown.

I sink a thousand fathoms into sky -

An angel wields a burning spear; his eyes 

Adore my own, his hand caresses mine. 

It flutters to his face before he strikes, 

My entrails spill and kindle into flame, 

Then raging fire - pain and ecstasy 

Entwine and shudder; God’s true face revealed.

Reviews

[Gaia Octavia]

Terrifyingly beautiful just like Bernini's sculpture.

The line 'I sink a thousand fathoms into sky' is bordering on genius. The emotion it evokes! What a hook. You are officially a fisherman of phrases.

I hope you're still enjoying your writing classes! I know they changed and elevated my writing a lot (though I am still right on the porch steps) 😉

Can't wait to read more.

[Zugzwang]

Thanks, Gaia.
I like that line too, but I think I filched it from somewhere, I just can't remember where.
The poetry writing class is over now, and I am edified with my results. Now I have to get into the business of making submissions and applications as has been suggested by my tutor who never got round to doing that proper edit, as he offered. Sigh.

[Gaia Octavia]

What a t**d! I was going to ask about that. You should still do it anyway. You could always enter it in "contests" on here to get some views from other people just because it can help you look at it in different ways. Or email the guy and just attach it to the email to see if he does it. 🙃

[Zugzwang]

It's a disappointment, but s**t happens lol. There are a couple of uni contests I'm entering, and I'm going to start submitting to journals. Apparently that's a great way to get feedback. Life dribbles on.

[Gaia Octavia]

Yes, it is. I have a few I have poems in but they only give you a free ecopy if you are chosen. Which probably just means I was a sucker to buy the edition I was in 😃😃

[Zugzwang]

Congrats!! I aspire to do the same, including buying the hardcopy...there's just something about paper.

[Gaia Octavia]

I always wanted my own book on my shelf. So this will suffice.

[Zugzwang]

It certainly will.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

wow....just before the climax, we get one look...just one look...and as Doris Troy sang "that's all it took"

sacrificing to feel the ultimate ecstasy in life.

as she did...we have to give to get...

j.

[Zugzwang]

Yeah man...I did this one for uni...an ekphrastic poem based on the painting in the poems image above. St. Theresa of Avila had an amazing ecstatic experience...Bernini did a sculpture of her, it's in Rome. Scary and beautiful.